Naruto: Together Again
by EMR-one7
Summary: [Naruto AR] At the final battle between Naruto and Sasuke, Sakura made a choice that drove a permanent wedge between her and Naruto. The two do not talk to each other, and as time goes on the two drift farther and farther apart. Sakura wants to make amends, but Naruto seems hurt beyond repair. As the two are put on the same team, only time will tell if they've grown too far apart.
1. Consequences

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own _Naruto_ or any of the associated characters.

**IMPORTANT READER INFORMATION!**

1\. This story is completed, but I do edit it from time to time. Nothing major, just small improvements.

2\. I wrote a prequel to this titled Naruto: Implosion. It is a short one-shot describing what happened at the Valley of the End (VotE) before this story. I would suggest reading it before this although it isn't necessary.

3\. Naruto AR (Alternate Reality)

To give you readers an idea of the background for this AR, I'm going to list critical information and changes to the canon.

Changes made – Naruto and Sasuke never came to a full agreement after their fight although they aren't necessarily on bad terms; Sakura made a choice that created a huge rift between her and Naruto; Sasuke is not brought to back Konoha but is living in peace; Naruto and Sasuke still have both of their arms; Kakashi is not Hokage; Neji isn't dead; Kakashi still has his Sharingan.

* * *

Ch. 1

Have you ever noticed that when you don't talk to somebody that you were close with for a long time, it's harder to strike up a conversation with them than it is with a casual acquaintance? The casual acquaintance is easy to talk to. You ask simple questions and get simple answers. But with that person you used to hold dear, it's impossible. You already know their deepest, darkest secrets; their dreams; and most importantly, what they think of you. So there's just an awkward silence. You can't act as if the past few years didn't happen, and you were both there so you don't want to talk about the past few years either. You just stare and stare into his blue eyes and see he hates you. His dreams are gone and he's empty, petty, and cynical. You wonder how much the rest of his face has changed, but you'll probably never know since he's always wearing that infernal ANBU mask. You want to take his mask off, touch his face and beg for forgiveness. You want to hold him and never let him go. But, no, he'll turn to leave and you'll let him, just like all the other times you've passed by each other outside the Hokage's office.

Then as if it had moved on its own, Sakura's arm reached out and her hand seemed to be in on the arms plan, because it grabbed his hand. Then when he swivels his head around to look at her, her neck betrays her as well, turning her head to look at him. They stare, and stare. He then breaks the silence they have held for 3 long years.

"What do you want Haruno-san?" His voice is brutally mono-tone. There is no cheerfulness, no immaturity, and worst of all there is no _Sakura-chan._

She doesn't know how to answer his question. What does she want? She thought she knew at one point. She wanted to be a kunoichi, she wanted to marry Sasuke-kun, and she wanted to live happily ever after. But then, all of a sudden, there was no more Sasuke-kun. He had left her and betrayed the village. Naruto, he had been there. She asked him to bring back Sasuke, bring back what she wanted. He had failed. She then began to search with him, and together they could do it, right? Still they failed, and as she grew closer to Naruto, she grew confused. She would catch herself wanting new things, wanting Naruto. Wanting to be by his side as he had been by hers. She wanted to help defeat the Akatsuki so that he could be safe. She wanted him for herself. Then, when the time came to choose between the two paths, she chose the wrong.

"Haruno-san?" That damn Haruno-san again.

"Naruto…" Was that all she could say? She didn't exactly plan this conversation, and even though she had rehearsed her apology thousands of times, she was completely lost.

"Yes Haru-"

"Stop calling me that!" She didn't mean to yell like that, but it just seemed to happen. He wasn't startled, and he still hadn't moved since she grabbed his hand. "Can we talk someplace?" That seemed like a good start.

"No." Well maybe not such a good start. "I'm tired. I'm going home."

"Well, I'll walk you then." She wasn't going to have this be the last thing they said to each other in their lives. He remained still; his eyes blank, un-readable. But then they wavered, he took his hand out of hers, and left her hand feeling extremely cold.

"Fine." It was barely audible but it was there, nonetheless. As he began to leave, she quickly caught up to him and walked by his side.

* * *

They walked silently through the streets. It was early in the afternoon. The sun was high in the sky and peeking through the leaves of the trees lining the streets over their heads. The weather was fair. A nice warm day. They could hear the markets busy with mothers and wives buying the groceries for tonight's dinner a few blocks over. If one was to see them strolling together, they would think nothing of it. The Hokage's assistant and an ANBU walking together. They seemed to fit somehow.

A few ninja sitting in a BBQ restaurant across the street saw the two walking together and were immediately perplexed. The gossip moved her honey blonde bangs to the side to get a clearer look. The fat one was busy piling food off the grill into his mouth but stared out of the corner of his eye at the odd pair walking down the street. The genius was the one that seemed most interested. He didn't see this move coming for a few more years. He had predicted that one day they would set aside their problems enough to at least talk to one another. But he was off on the time frame, and he wondered what exactly was going on. The three of them watched as the two walked by. After getting over the shock of the scene, they promptly paid and went off to find a certain sixth ninja.

* * *

Sakura didn't know what was happening, they just kept walking. He had a deliberate pace. He wasn't even acknowledging her. He seemed as if this was the same walk he took every time he headed home from a debriefing with the Hokage. She was afraid to be the first to talk again, but he seemed as if he didn't care if this was going to turn into any kind of conversation.

"So, do you live in the same apartment?"

"Yes." Well that was a lame attempt to begin the conversation she wanted to have for the past 3 years, she chided herself.

They remained silent for the rest of the walk, she had no idea what to say, and it didn't seem that he was going to start any sort of exchange of words. They walked the dirt streets of their hometown and came to his door. He put the key in the doorknob and began to turn it. Then he stopped, sighed and looked at the girl that had accompanied him home.

"Would you like to come in?" He was still monotone, but at least he didn't call her Haruno-san.

"Sure." she replied. He continued to open the door and they stepped inside.

His place was different than she remembered, it was simple still but it was much cleaner. She stood in the living room, somewhat afraid to leave the place where she stood. He walked in and began to take his armor off. The chest plate, followed by the gauntlets, then the shin protectors. He threw them carelessly on the floor by a couple of other objects that seemed to be his Jonin vest and forehead protector. Then he moved his hand to his mask. He held it there for what seemed like an eternity. She wanted to see his face, but he seemed unsure of what to do. Then his hand very slowly came down with the mask in it. His hair had grown, it was still golden but not the vibrant color she knew before. It was dull and plain. His hairs came down into his eyes and around his face, shadowing his features. But she did see the whiskers. The six lines that marked him made him stand out. It was Naruto alright and she couldn't help cracking a smile at seeing his face after such a long time. He then looked at her and threw the mask into the pile of his other things, he was just left in his black ANBU tank-top and baggy black pants. He then walked over to a bench under a window and sat down to look outside.

She slowly moved around the room inspecting things. He had nothing that she could really look at though. Blank walls. Blank table. She looked at his pile of ninja belongings and picked it up. She then sat down on his couch and began to place his ANBU armor on the table, followed by his Jonin vest, then his Hitai-ate, and finally his mask. It was a fox, beautifully carved, and painted a dark shade of orange. She looked down at her handy work. If you put a glass cover over his coffee table, it would look like a fancy display case. The she looked up and on a dusty shelf way up high she saw an item that surprised her.

It was the picture of Team 7 they all had a copy of. She stood up and made a beeline for it. He was watching her out of the corner of his eye. She picked it up and wiped the glass. She softly smiled at the three boys and herself. The ill-tempered rivals, their famous Sensei, and she.

"We made one lousy team didn't we." he said from his seat under the window.

"Lousy?" She asked a little irritated. "We were the best. We were the next Sannin. And everyone said we were the best three of our generation." She proclaimed boastfully.

"Yes, each of us became exceptional ninja…But after that the team disbanded." He was right. She slowly looked back down at the frame. They split up and was each taught by one of the original Sannin.

She looked back at him; his attention was back outside the window. Her eyes came to his left shoulder. The ANBU tattoo, the symbol given to the village's elite ninja entrusted as the personal bodyguard of the Hokage. Her friends that were also in ANBU gave her tid-bits about how he was doing. Mainly Neji, Kiba, and Shino. The others had become Jonin instructors while she and Ino headed up the medical corps. They were heralded as the greatest generation in Konoha history. The 11 that saved Konoha in the great war. The 11 that could not be stopped. But they had fallen apart. Barely seeing each other. And he was the one she never spoke to. She sighed at the state of the fabled 11.

"I miss you..." It was sudden. It was impulsive. And it was completely unlike her, but it had to be said. He didn't move. "Did you hear me?" She was becoming angrier. Why couldn't he just accept her apology and everything could go back to the way it was.

"I think you should leave." This just made her even more irate.

"No, we can't just not talk to each other! Pretend we don't know each other!" She felt her cheeks become wet with hot, salty tears. "We were a team. We were comrades. We were-"

"We were what?!" He was suddenly standing, yelling, shaking. "I loved you." He moved half a step towards her, then stopped himself. He clenched his fists and continued in a more controlled voice, "You just wanted him back so you used me. Made me feel things, made me believe that…"

"It wasn't like that!"

"Then what was it like?!" He roared back.

"I-"

"Left me to die!" She had no response. Her voice was gone, and he had become a blurry image through her tears. He was quiet now, he took a deep breath and all of a sudden he was the blank-faced, apathetic ANBU operative once again.

He walked to the bedroom and shut the door. She wiped the tears from her face the best she could and waited for him to come out again. She waited almost an hour when she realized that he wasn't coming back. The Naruto she knew had just walked out of her life. She silently left. All that was left was the picture of a team long disbanded, and an organized table of armor.

* * *

The 9 ninjas were together, excited to see the two comrades that hadn't talked to each other in 3 years. They joked, they smiled and they were ready to be one big family again. Together again.

Then they saw a solemn pink haired medic walk down the street right by them. She looked sad, distraught. She didn't even see the large group of her friends through her teary eyes. Then a realization hit the 9 at the same moment. They stood for a while just staring off into space. Then they began to leave, splintering off. Their hopes had been dashed. The reunion they were all waiting for wasn't going to happen and they weren't going to be together again.

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite if you enjoy my work!


	2. Circumstances

Ch. 2

She was one of the legendary Sannin. She was the greatest medic-nin in the world. She was the fifth Hokage. She shouldn't have to deal with stuff like this. Her pink haired apprentice and her adoptive grandson were standing in her office and the tension was palpable. Usually when they stood in the same room it was just an uncomfortable silence, Sakura would steal glances at the ANBU and he would look solemn. But no, she was the melancholy one and he was clearly on edge. His back was stiff, arms crossed, demeanor cold. She had hoped that the decision she made today would help these two with their situation, but it seemed like something had happened yesterday... Well, she might as well get this over with.

"I've called you both here for a little announcement." He was paying attention but Sakura still seemed a little out of it. "Naruto, I'm making you a Captain."

His arms dropped to his sides and his head tilted a little bit to the side. Tsunade could tell he was grinning under his mask. Sakura suddenly came back to reality and looked over at Naruto. Tsunade smiled. She was proud of him; he had come a long way since he challenged her to a street fight. Naruto had grown into the best Konoha had to offer, maybe the whole ninja world. He was a hero as a result of his actions in the last war, but despite that he just wasn't as vibrant as he used to be. He had been so melancholy over the past few years, and he and Sakura had completely stopped talking to one another. Nobody exactly knew why either. She had asked the rest of their comrades, but it was no help at all. None of the other 11 had any clues to the reason for Naruto and Sakura's falling out.

"You'll have a week to name the 3 ANBU operatives you want on your team." She began to shuffle papers on her overflowing desk, looking for the forms he would have to fill out requesting his team.

"Neji Hyuuga, Kiba Inuzaka, Shino Aburame." She looked back up at him, she should have known he would pick them, they were the three he trusted the most in ANBU.

"Ok, consider it done, as for your medic..." she looked over to Sakura. She went wide eyed, and stiff.

He responded with a simple "No." She looked back at him and he was not happy, but Tsunade was in no mood to argue.

"This decision is non-negotiable." She replied; eyes closed, hands folded in front of her face.

"What about Shizune-neechan." He wasn't about to give up easily. She sighed because she knew he never did.

"She's running the Hospital."

"Yamanaka Ino?"

"She has a Genin team." He just grumbled, at which point Tsunade smirked. Naruto didn't know the names of any of the other medic-nins in the village. Not making conversation while he was being mended in the hospital these past 3 years had come back to bite him. Tsunade had won.

"Have my team meet at training ground 6 at 10AM tomorrow." He said quickly and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

The Hokage then turned to the other person left in the room. Tsunade studied her apprentice. Sakura was one of the best medics around. She had become pretty well known after defeating Sasori, and her involvement in the destruction of the Akatsuki and the war only added to her reputation. The Konoha 11 were all well known. Sakura had surpassed Shizune and Ino would never catch her. She was her greatest pupil, but right now Sakura didn't look like the proud young woman she was used to seeing. She was looking at her feet, hands in her lap. Tsunade was about to ask the question that had plagued everyone around the remaining members of Team 7. _'What happened between you two?'_ But before she could say a word, Sakura suddenly shot up from her chair, bowed, and left.

Tsunade opened her desk drawer and removed the sake bottle that she hid there. She was upset that the two were on such bad terms. She looked over to a picture on her desk. It was a picture of her Genin team. She looked at the white haired boy and wished he was there. He would know what to do with Naruto. Jiraiya had a way of getting people to open up and change their minds. She missed him. She remembered when that little toad came to her that fateful day. She knew he was dead, and she was alone. Naruto had gone on to avenge his mentor's death and defeat Pain as well as most of Akatsuki.

But now Naruto had changed, and she wondered what Jiraiya would think of how he turned out in her care. She imagined he would be disappointed. She continued to drink for some time, dwelling on her past, her mistakes. She wondered what her life would be like if she had stayed with Jiraiya. She wondered what it would be like if she had saved Dan. She let out a silent sob as her emotions overwhelmed her. She soon put the sake away. As the sun went down and the day ended, she sent messengers to Naruto's new team telling them where to be in the morning, then proceeded to try and find a mission to give them. Such was the lonely life of The Hokage.

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite if you enjoy my work!


	3. Familiarity

Ch. 3

Neji was surprised to hear he was being reassigned, and to a team with a rookie captain no less. But when he arrived at training ground 6 that morning, he was even more surprised to see his new teammates were acquaintances of his. Kiba and Shino would be his teammates. They waited on the last 2 members of his team to arrive, the medic and the new captain. Neji was staring off into space while Kiba and Shino talked about how it would be nice to be on the same squad again, with Akamaru barking in agreement. Training ground 6 was a lake so the three had to stand on the water, Neji didn't mind, it felt nice when little waves would lap up over his sandal and cool his toes. The morning mist was beginning to recede. And from the placement of the sun, Neji guessed it was about time for his captain to show. Just as the thought passed through his head, he spotted a figure at the end of the lake.

Naruto was right on time, his team waiting. He had seen Sakura on the way over and informed her that her presence wouldn't be necessary at this training session. The crestfallen look on her face while he told her was worth it. Naruto began to walk out to the three on the water.

They had already noticed him and were now silent, standing at attention, or in Kiba's case mounted. They looked quite formidable, Neji in his blue hawk mask, Kiba atop Akamaru in his grey dog mask, and Shino in his green ape mask. Naruto smirked; he was going to have some fun.

Neji soon saw that it was Naruto who was walking towards them, the fox of the ANBU. Naruto the ANBU captain. It seemed funny that when they were kids Neji thought of him as a nobody with no future, but a loss in his first Chunin exams had taught him different. Then time and again Naruto proved himself. In the war, the Akatsuki fights, and every other time he had seen Naruto fight for the village and his friends.

"Naruto?!" Kiba yelled breaking the silence.

"You got it dog boy, and it's Captain Naruto to you." Naruto said in a jovial voice.

"Ha-ha, never in my life would I have seen this coming." Came Kiba's response.

"Congratulations Naruto." Neji greeted, Shino remained silent but he nodded his head in Naruto's direction. Neji took this as a hello.

"Well," Naruto began, "I was thinking that since we're together again we have a little sparring match." Neji rolled his eyes, leave it to Naruto to act unlike any ANBU captain he had ever had before. Suddenly there were two more Naruto's. Neji noticed he didn't use any hand signals, that meant all three are clones. Neji quietly activated his Byakugan.

"You won't find me Neji…" Neji was suddenly brought back to the situation. "I'm not even close by."

"How did you know I was looking?"

"I can tell..." Naruto said sounding smug.

"I could tell right away you were just a clone." Kiba boasted rubbing Akamaru's hair.

"Clones from so far away?" Shino inquired.

Naruto smirked and said, "I'm just that good bugsy." He was still being a little overconfident in Neji's eyes. Naruto wasn't dealing with just anybody, he was dealing with one of the Konoha 11, an ANBU, and most of all, a Hyuga.

"Well, let's get this started," announced the lead Naruto. Everyone dropped into defensive stances. The entire scene became silent, tranquil, the water was like glass. Then in an instant, it seemed as if the lake was exploding. Massive waves sprang off everywhere as the six fighters went at each other.

Neji lost track of the others right away, he had his own Naruto to worry about at the moment. The first attack was a swift kick to Neji's head, Neji blocked with his right forearm easily enough. He returned fire with a left hook which was in turn blocked by Naruto's knee and the two went skidding across the water apart from each other. When their momentum stopped they immediately went back on the offensive at one another again. Naruto had a kunai in his Left hand. Neji didn't even see him draw it, and it was thrown at Neji's head just before the two were about to collide. Neji dodged but lost his footing as his sandal slipped beneath the surface.

Then, in an instant it was over, Naruto had Neji pinned, one arm behind his back and face in the water. Neji had no idea how Naruto had covered that space in that amount of time. He was over 100 feet away, but as soon as the kunai was over his shoulder, Naruto was on top of him. It was impossible for Naruto to be that fast. Naruto let Neji up. Even with his Byakugan activated, Naruto had somehow gotten the upper hand with little difficulty. He hadn't even used KCM. Then Neji saw it, the kunai Naruto had thrown was imbedded in a tree a few hundred feet away at the shore of the lake. It had a tag on it that looked familiar. He looked at Naruto.

"Family secret." Naruto replied to the un-asked question. Neji remembered seeing the reincarnated Minato do something similar in the war. Neji was not happy with his performance against Naruto. Sure Naruto was good, but Neji was completely outclassed a few moments ago. How good had Naruto really gotten? They had fought side by side in the war, but when you're allies you don't notice what the other is doing as much since you have to focus on fighting your own opponents.

"How is everyone else faring?" Neji asked, hoping he was not the first one to be defeated.

"Kiba is done, off that way," he said waving his hand in a general direction. "But Shino is proving difficult, he's hiding in the trees. Oh, there he is. Anyway, go to the Hokage's office. I'll be waiting." And then he was nothing more than a puff of smoke.

As Neji walked to the Hokage's office he ran into Kiba and Shino. All three were a little embarrassed by the way Naruto had made quick work of them. Even Kiba was quiet, not wanting to bring up the events that just transpired.

"The medic was not there." Shino simply stated.

Neji hadn't noticed. He forgot that there was another member supposed to be there. Perhaps Naruto didn't seem to think it was important for a medic to show up for a quick spar between old friends. Naruto actually seemed quite chipper today. For the past few years he had become more and more morose. Hinata had been quite distraught and asked Neji to investigate. Neji smiled to himself as he thought about how even though Hinata had become a respected Jonin instructor, her schoolgirl crush had not disappeared, much to the chagrin of Neji's new teammate Kiba.

The three came upon the building soon enough and they were about to enter when Kiba put a hand on Neji's shoulder. Neji turned to the Dog masked Nin.

"Have you seen who our medic is? Is she hot?" Neji processed what Kiba asked and looked slightly annoyed. Despite this, he turned to Shino and got no response. Then back to Kiba who shrugged, lifted his mask, and winked. Neji understood. It was Byakugan time.

Why not? It was always good to go into a situation knowing as much as possible. Neji activated his Byakugan and searched the rooms of the Hokage tower, there were three people sitting in her office. The Hokage was there, naturally. Naruto was also there. And…

As shock filled Neji's face, he exclaimed in a hushed voice, "You guys aren't going to believe this."

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite if you enjoy my work!


	4. Squad

Ch. 4

Kiba was alert as he rode Akamaru swiftly through the trees. The nin he was chasing was losing ground. He couldn't keep up with Akamaru's pace. Kiba whispered a few things to the bug on his shoulder and it flew off. The rest of his team would arrive soon. He stood on Akamaru's back and leapt forward at the nin's back. The nin never knew what hit him. Combined with his own jumping ability and the speed Akamaru was already going, Kiba was instantly on the nin and one kunai to the neck ended his life.

Kiba stood over the nin's body cleaning his blade, with Akamaru panting beside him. He then bent down and began rummaging through the nin's things. The nin had some weapons, a copy of Ichi Ichi Paradise, some scrolls - one with a seal (which was what they were looking for), and a correspondence between the Rock and the Rain. As he emptied the dead nin's pouch a picture fell out. It was of a young woman holding a baby, Kiba slowly picked it up and turned it over in his hands. The back read "Good luck on your mission darling. Your son and I await your return!" Kiba sighed. He hated when nin had personal effects on them when he killed them. It was easier to be detached when killing another human being if you didn't remember they had a life, a home, a family... Somewhere out there a woman was widowed and a boy was fatherless because of him. Kiba didn't even notice his team arrive, he just kept looking at the baby's face and thinking about how his father never came home from a mission. It wasn't an uncommon thing in a town of ninja. Luckily he had his mother and older sister.

"Good job, Kiba." Naruto said bringing Kiba out of his thoughts. "Did you get it?"

"Yeah." Kiba said as he absent-mindedly tossed the scroll to his captain.

Naruto made quick work of the seal and began to read the scroll. It still dumbfounded Kiba at how strong Naruto had become. He was probably the most accomplished Konoha-nin around. And he was on the fast track to being Hokage. Soon all the major houses would have an ally of Naruto at its head. The counsel would be made up of his comrades and he would be chosen to succeed Tsunade. Kiba was confident that Naruto would be great as Hokage, even though they had had only a few missions as an ANBU team he had seen Naruto do great things. He had also seen him be a complete jerk. Kiba unintentionally scrunched his face under his mask at Naruto. Naruto had beat down Sakura at every chance he got, and the usually fiery kunoichi had just stood there and taken it every time. He imagined her sad face beneath her new mask (a cat with black markings). He had half expected her to choose a pink mask but she had told him it was "too unprofessional".

"We're heading back in the morning. Shino dispose of the body, then set up a perimeter around the site with your insects. Kiba you and Akamaru take a rest. Sakura make the camp. Neji you're with me, we'll take a patrol of the area." and with that he and Neji were gone in a flash. Kiba laid down using Akamaru as a backrest and Shino's insects began eating the body. Kiba always thought it was a terrible way for a nin to go but the lack of a body as evidence was always good for the team. Kiba lifted his mask and turned his attention back to the picture.

"It's not good to dwell on stuff like that." Kiba turned his head to see Sakura standing next to him.

"Yeah well, it's hard not to." She lifted her mask and gave him an understanding smile.

"So," he began slowly watching her set up the camp, "Why do you take that shit from Naruto all the time?"

"He's the captain." She said plainly.

"Yeah, but the Sakura I know would punch him in the face for talking to her like that." He chuckled. "Even if he were the Hokage."

"Well, it seems like he will be soon enough." Sakura replied.

"Yup, he's going to have all the clans behind him soon, Hana-neechan will be in charge on the Inuzaka, Shikamaru the Nara, Ino the Yamanaka, and Hinata…" He trailed off and had a small smile. He was still in love with her, but she still only had eyes for Naruto.

"So when are you going to ask her out?" He was startled and looked up at Sakura standing before him.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He said indignantly and lowered his mask. She sat next to him against Akamaru and lifted his mask back up.

"I hate when you guys wear those things."

"You wear one too." He replied. She sighed and looked up at the darkening sky. The stars would come out soon.

"I know you don't like the ANBU, why did you agree to join?" He asked.

"Tsunade-sama asked me to."

"It's more than that."

"Drop it..."

"Geez," he said putting his hands behind his head. "Didn't have to bite my head off." She got up and began to walk back to finish setting up camp.

"What's up between you two? I mean we all have our own theories but none of us really know." Sakura stopped dead in her tracks and became rigid. Then she loosened up and began to walk again. Kiba sighed and closed his eyes, a few seconds later he felt Shino sit down where Sakura had just been.

"I've tried to have the same conversation with her numerous times. It never goes anywhere." Kiba opened up one eye and looked inquisitively at his lifelong teammate.

"You actually talk to people?" He joked and Shino crossed his arms in annoyance. "Man you're way too uptight." Kiba said as he slapped Shino on the back. As Kiba became serious again, he asked, "So what do you think really happened?" Shino paused, then turned back to Kiba.

"They haven't been the same since their last encounter with Sasuke." Shino stated. He then lifted up his mask and turned to Sakura who was busy making the meal. "Somebody turned on the other." Kiba followed Shino's gaze, then sighed. There was no way Naruto would turn on Sakura, but the other way around. He wasn't so sure.

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite if you enjoy my work!


	5. Information

Ch. 5

A lone swordsman walked alone through the mountain passes. Sleeping when needed. Eating when needed. Constantly training. He had lived nomadically in this harsh terrain for some while. He had lost track of the exact length of time. He met travelers passing by from time to time. He had heard news of the world outside his self-imposed prison of high altitudes and jagged peaks. Most of the news was regarding the Kyuubi container, and how the Jinchuuriki had risen to the top of the ninja world, feared and respected. The lone swordsman slightly smirked. It seemed as if Naruto would realize his dreams. The smirk turned into a half-frown as he thought of how his own life was turning out. The last of the Uchiha walked alone through the mountain passes.

* * *

Naruto silently began his patrol with Neji. He was in no mood for idle talk so he had chosen the stoic Hyuuga as his partner instead of Kiba. But Naruto didn't always have the best luck it seemed.

"Captain-"

"Just Naruto."

"Captain Naruto," The aggravated blonde sighed, Neji continued. "I wish to speak freely."

"Just talk Neji, geez we've known each other since we were 12." Naruto chuckled.

"I believe your treatment of Haruno-san has become unacceptable. You are an ANBU Captain and you should act as such." Whoa, Naruto wasn't expecting that one. He pulled to a stop on the next branch he landed on.

"How so?" He asked incredulously.

"She is a team member, and an accomplished medic, she should be treated as such." Naruto sighed again. He had been getting this kind of talk from Kiba for the past few missions that the team had been on.

"My personal-"

Neji cut him off, "That's exactly it. This is an ANBU team of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. We are not allowed the luxury of personal feelings." Naruto just stared through the eye holes of his mask into the dark ones of Neji's. He couldn't see them but he felt the stare of those all-seeing eyes.

"I'll take your thoughts into consideration." Naruto replied in monotone. "Go back to camp and help her set up if you like. I'll continue this patrol alone." And then he was gone, not even a puff of smoke, just a flash.

Neji just stood there remembering how he had been defeated by that same flash at their first team sparring match. He witnessed Naruto using it to take out many enemies since. But the jutsu was still untraceable, even for the Byakugan. Neji decided to take a slow stroll back to camp instead of running. He just couldn't get why things had turned out between the two like they had. He had his own theory. It was the leading among the 9 outside of the loop. That Sasuke had caused the rift when the three of them had their final confrontation. But an outright betrayal of one towards the other didn't seem logical, but then again Sasuke had betrayed them.

He then thought about what Kiba was holding when he and Naruto left, a picture of the dead Nin's family. Kiba seemed distraught about it. Neji didn't know what to think, and his family didn't have such things. He also had no girl waiting at home. He wondered what it would be like to have a family more like a regular civilian and not the Hyuuga. The only one he could see in that way was Hinata. He smiled to himself. His cousin had become strong. She was a good Jonin instructor, as were the others. They all had a team right now he thought, but it seemed as if Shikamaru's team would become Chuunin soon and he would be given a new cell of three. The kids that got one of the Konoha 11 always seemed to brag that they had the best sensei, and if any of the 6 that were not sensei were seen in the street they would be followed by awe struck children.

Neji finally came upon the camp. Kiba and Shino were resting against Akamaru while Sakura was cooking the meal. He took a place beside her and began to help her with the cooking.

* * *

A gang of thieves had just gotten one hell of a score. They had destroyed a noble's caravan and took everything that they could get their hands on. They retreated into the nearby mountains to celebrate. They had a huge fire and a big meal. They divided up the treasure and began looking through it all. They had been on a roll lately. Little stood in their way and the best that the Ninja villages threw at them were Chuunin with Gennin support. It was going to be a good summer and then they could take their spoils and go somewhere warm for the winter.

All of a sudden a large bolt of lightning shot through the group. They tried to run but they were picked off one by one until the leader was the only one left, cowering in the dark.

"You shouldn't be killing and pillaging in my mountains." The voice was cold. No emotion. The bandit was about to soil himself.

"I-It was easy picking. The Ninja have bigger things to worry about." He stammered out as the Uchiha's eyes kept penetrating, as if they were telling the bandit that he could not be.

"Why?" Sasuke was intrigued. What was this threat that had the Ninja Villages scrambling? He had not gotten any news from the outside world in some time.

"The Sound and the Rain are planning something, against the Leaf and Sand."

"The Rain are weak. Pain is dead."

"No, they're growing, and there is a strong warrior in the Rain that's gaining support. He is said to be the only one to best the great Naruto of the Leaf. The last Uchiha, Sasuke Uchiha."

Sasuke Uchiha was leading forces in the Rain and gaining support from the Sound to defeat Naruto? The new information Sasuke had just learned of was intriguing to say the least. He quickly dispatched the bandit leader and turned towards The Land of Fire. Maybe it was time to pay Konoha a visit.

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite if you enjoy my work!


	6. Revelation

Ch. 6

The young captain continued his patrol alone. He tried to push all of Neji's words out of his mind. He had to focus on the task at hand. His newly formed team had been doing these kinds of missions often. They would be sent to an area with high levels of enemy traffic and they would gather information. The tensions in the ninja world had risen lately. Talks of a great war surfaced here and there, talks of well-known Shinobi being on the move. The Hokage wasn't telling him everything, she was keeping him shielded, and all he had to go on were the same rumors everybody else heard.

Naruto soon finished his patrol, there were no threats in the surrounding area. But Neji's outburst was bugging him. The stoic Hyuuga never spoke in such a manner. Maybe he was right though, he was an ANBU Captain, responsible for the safety of Konoha and the Hokage. His feelings toward Sakura were not important while on missions. He was relieved that Sakura wore a mask because her face still made him weak in the knees. As he walked back into camp he decided that duty came first. Kiba was fingering the edges of the photo the Nin had on him but quickly hid it when he saw Naruto.

"What's the good word?" Kiba asked.

"No threats nearby, though I did leave clones in a perimeter just in case." Naruto then slid his mask up and looked Kiba in the eyes. "You shouldn't dwell on that picture much, his family knew the risks his job held."

"I know, but it just gets to me sometimes. I can't turn the emotions off as well as the rest of you."

"You never could." said Shino.

"Now I'm getting it from you too, Shino?" Kiba asked defensively.

"I have trouble with it too Kiba, but I have a duty to the village and the Hokage first." Naruto said, getting Kiba's attention. Then he looked at Neji. "So I try to keep them in check, for the team." Neji nodded, understanding the last comment was meant more for him.

"So what's the agenda for tomorrow?" Shino asked.

"We return to Konoha, The Hokage will want to see this dispatch, and there is no more activity in this area that we can disrupt." Naruto explained.

"When are we leaving?" Kiba asked, knowing he would not like the answer.

"An hour before sunrise." Naruto stated, Kiba rolled his eyes. "Get over it Kiba, you're getting as lazy as Shikamaru." Neji and Shino smirked at Naruto's comment.

"That's low Blondie." Kiba said as he sulked against Akamaru.

"Food is ready!" Came Sakura's call and the four young men suddenly had nothing to talk about, food came first.

* * *

After the meal, the team readied themselves for sleep and Naruto took the first watch. The young captain could feel the presence of his clones, nothing out of the ordinary happening with them. He let his attention and eyes linger to the pink haired beauty sleeping a few feet away. The sight of her made his heart catch in his throat, even after all these years. After all they had done to one another. He suddenly found himself next to her, and he was about to reach out and brush her hair back so he could better look at her face. But he recoiled, he shouldn't be doing this, she was… What was she to him?

Was she still the girl he loved? What was her life like now? Who were her friends? Was Ino still her best friend? She was a completely different person than the young girl and then teenager that he fell for. Was she also a completely different person than the young woman that betrayed him? She seemed so remorseful. But for some reason, he just couldn't let it go. Her choice had hurt him so much more than he ever thought he could be hurt. He wondered why her betrayal was so painful. Even when Sasuke had betrayed them, he never hurt as much as he did now. He decided he better not think about it too much. They were still on an important mission after all.

He turned his attention to the sealed scroll found on the nin Kiba had killed. The dispatch between the Sound and the Rain had been a simple set of orders and supplies needed to be delivered here and troops moved there. Why the Sound had chosen the Rain as an ally was beyond him. In the years since Pain's death and the war, the Rain had limped along, barely surviving. They had no stable leadership, but Naruto knew better than most that hate could fuel a dying animal into taking its enemy down with it.

Naruto wondered if the sealed scroll had some new information. The scroll looked innocent enough at a glance but when Naruto saw the severity of the seal he knew something was up with it.

Training with the best had taught him much. The seal was hard, but not impossible, to remove. It took him a little under an hour to dispatch the seal. He slowly unfurled the scroll. And he saw a name he had not spoken or heard for years. A name that lingered in the shadows of his mind. It appeared on the scroll, the words around it melted away. Sasuke…

Naruto instantly woke his team and told them to get ready to move. He was barking orders in an almost frantic manner. The highly trained ANBU were quick in packing and soon were heading double time back to Konoha.

As they ran, Kiba decided to finally ask the question on everyone's mind."What's wrong Naruto?!" Naruto glanced at Sakura then back to Kiba.

"New information I found in the sealed scroll."

"What was it?" questioned Neji.

"Something I need to discuss with The Hokage." Naruto then lowered his head and ran even faster. His team knew he would say no more and quickened their pace to keep up.

* * *

Sasuke found himself remembering the landmarks around him. He entered a clearing, a large meadow in the middle of the great forest. He was leisurely strolling down a familiar path and getting close to Konoha. He would need a way into the city, but that would be easy enough. He then would have to make his way to the Hokage tower. He needed to know why his name was coming up in a Ninja war. Then he saw a blur coming from the trees about a mile away. Sasuke smirked, he recognized those chakras.

Naruto had stopped dead in his tracks, Sakura and the others skidded to a halt behind him. What was he doing? All of this commotion and the hard running, and now he was suddenly stopping only a few miles from Konoha.

"Naruto, what is it?" Sakura asked but he was looking in the distance. At first she though he was just ignoring her like usual but then she saw what he was looking at. A lone figure walking towards them.

"Everyone, take cover in the trees." He ordered. But Sakura's feet would not budge, her eyes fixated on the man coming nearer. "Sakura!" She was brought out of her haze by Naruto shouting and shaking her arm. She looked at him his mask was up, his eyes focused on her. "Run."

Sasuke walked up to the lone man in the clearing. The others scrambled into the trees. He noted that Naruto had grown. He was taller and his hair was a little longer, matted down by the mask resting on top of his head. ANBU was not what he expected. Sasuke always thought that he would make a great sensei for a young Gennin team. As he came closer he noticed something else, a Captains insignia on his uniform. His old friend had come a long way. Sasuke now stood a few feet from the blonde, he smirked at the serious look the other man was giving him. Seriousness never looked right on that whiskered face.

"Hello, Naruto."

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite if you enjoy my work!


	7. Confrontation

Ch. 7

Sasuke and Naruto stood face to face, the two strongest Ninja of their generation, or of any other generation for that matter. Both names feared throughout the world. Sasuke had heard about Naruto's adventures from travelers, he found it funny that the boy that searched for anyone to acknowledge him had the whole world awestruck at the mere mention of his name. Sasuke's eyes moved to the captain's insignia that now adorned Naruto's ANBU uniform.

"I see you got promoted." Sasuke began. Naruto began to walk further into the field away from the tree line where his team waited.

"Yes." He replied as Sasuke followed suit and walked beside him.

"You're separating yourself from your team?" Sasuke questioned with a smirk, letting Naruto know he was not unaware of the ANBU in the trees.

"None of them would really be useful against you, but I'm sensing you're not here for a fight. I find that interesting since you've aligned with the Sound and are preparing for an offensive against Konoha." Sasuke smirked again, it seemed news of him apparently being in the Rain and getting help from the Sound had traveled to the ears of Konoha as well.

"Actually, I'm on my way to Konoha to find out why it's being said I'm aligned with the Rain and the Sound." Sasuke found the surprise on Naruto's face to be very satisfying. "I wouldn't be surprised if The Hokage stirred this rumor up to end all sympathy that still remained in Konoha."

"She doesn't even know." It was Sasuke's turn to be surprised. "My team just intercepted a communication with your name on it. We didn't even think you were involved in anything up to this point." Sasuke was now further intrigued, and irritated that his name was being used in such a manner. He owed allegiance to nobody.

"You all in Konoha don't need to worry about this anymore, I'm heading to the Rain to destroy this rumor. I will not accept this disgracing of the Uchiha name."

"Too late for that. You don't really need much help in that department, you screw up your family's name just fine on your own." Naruto said with a sneer. Sasuke gave him a hard look, Naruto gave him one right back.

"Are you trying to pick a fight with me Uzumaki?!" Sasuke wasn't going to take this kind of disrespect from anyone, especially Naruto of all people.

"Last names? Why so formal? Did I upset the self-righteous last Uchiha?" Naruto shot back, his trademark cocky attitude never leaving his voice.

Sasuke paused then turned away, "Hn. You're not worth my time."

"Sasuke, go back to the mountains." Sasuke looked back at Naruto who was looking away to the tree line where his team waited. Sasuke didn't think anyone from Konoha knew he was living in the mountains.

"You knew where I was all this time?" He asked still slightly shocked.

"Yes. I've been keeping tabs on you for some time, I inherited Jiraiya's spy network after all." Naruto turned and faced back to Sasuke. "You've been living there in peace, mainly training and meditating. It's been good for you. I can see it. Go home, this is a Konoha matter. I'll inform the Hokage that an imposter is using your name to inspire the Sound and the Rain against us." Sasuke was shocked to say the least, Naruto had changed, their last encounter was only a few years ago, he had been the same impetuous boy from their childhood. What could have changed him so? Then he remembered Sakura. The last time they met, she was there and things hadn't gone smoothly to say the least…

"How is she?" Sasuke could tell Naruto knew exactly who he was talking about.

"She's in the trees over there, with Kiba, Shino, and Neji." Sasuke was also surprised Naruto gave the names of his team members and their location so readily.

"So you two are still on the same team? Comrades till the end….." Sasuke let out a small sigh as he, for a split second, wondered how his life would have been.

"Hardly."

Sasuke was now tired of this closed book Naruto. He activated his Sharingan.

* * *

They were soon in a dark hallway, leaky pipes lining the walls and ceiling.

Naruto looked around at the dripping pipes. "I used to hate it when you did that…Still do…"

"Well I wasn't getting anything from you out there." Sasuke replied. "What's going on with the Sound and Rain, and why are you so angry with Sakura?" Sasuke had not said her name out loud in so long that it was strange to hear it from his lips.

"The Sound and the Rain have formed an alliance and are making an offensive against Konoha, The Sand has agreed to help us in the matter. The Sound is using the anti-Konoha sentiment in the Rain from Pain's defeat to gain favor there. And as for my team's medic, you were there." Sasuke stared at the man his old friend had become. Naruto never hated him and he never hated Naruto, their paths just ended up going separate ways. It took them years to realize this. And although they both came to the same conclusion on their own, it took Naruto much longer than it took Sasuke.

As they talked, Sasuke had been searching Naruto's mind. The two hadn't talked to each other in years.

"You don't hate her, but you no longer speak to her." Sasuke noticed that Naruto was growing agitated. "You love her."

"She chose you and left me to die!" Naruto was now yelling. Sasuke always had the upper hand when Naruto was angry. Naruto got sloppy when he got angry. He could now move through Naruto's mind more freely.

"But you didn't die." Sasuke was close to the information on the Sound he needed from Naruto's mind.

"No thanks to her. I'm done being loyal to people that aren't loyal back." Sasuke didn't miss the obvious swipe at him in the comment. He was going in circles looking for the maps and info on the Sound he would need to attack them. "You won't find it Sasuke." Sasuke froze. Naruto knew he was rummaging through his mind the whole time? How strong had Naruto become? "Sasuke, out."

* * *

They were back in the field, sun on their faces. Sasuke giving Naruto a quizzical look.

"Why let me in if you knew you could kick me out at any moment?" Sasuke asked.

"Kiba can hear this far. Shino has a bug on my shoulder. Neji can read lips." Naruto stated.

"Keeping things from your team? Doesn't sound like you." Sasuke was now very suspicious of Naruto, he was the same cocky kid with extraordinary abilities, but something in him was, broken.

"Learned from the best." Naruto shot back. After a short pause, he looked over at Sasuke, "You want a crack at the Rain?" Naruto asked. Sasuke gave a simple nod. "Then you're coming with us."

"Where."

"To Konoha. Team!" In a flash four more bodies were in a circle around Sasuke. "We are now officially escorting Sasuke Uchiha to Konoha."

Sakura was in utter shock; they were traveling with Sasuke back to Konoha? What the hell was going on? They seemed to have a whole conversation in a flash. Then he calls them over and gives the last order she thought she would ever hear.

"Kiba point. Shino left. Sakura right. Neji on our six." Naruto ordered, and they began to move. Naruto and Sasuke walked shoulder to shoulder in the middle of the group. The tension was palpable. The other three might not have the experiences with Sasuke that she and Naruto had, but they were soldiers of Konoha, and Sasuke was a traitor that almost caused the destruction of their home. They were a powder keg running at high speeds through a forest 10 miles from home. This was bad.

* * *

With a slight grin Sasuke looked up at the team. "Is this the fastest you can all go?"

'_Oh no'_, Sakura thought to herself. _'He had to go and say something.'_

Kiba was the first to reply. "We were going slow for you traitor, didn't want to tire you."

"We could tie you up and carry you like the criminal you are, if you would prefer." Neji added.

"Hokage lap-dogs beat me? Very unlikely." was Sasuke's return. Sakura did not know what to do, Naruto could hold his own if this broke out into a fight, but the others would go down fast. And she could only heal, not bring people back from the dead.

"Quiet, all of you." came Naruto's authoritative voice. "Especially you." He said looking at Sasuke.

Sasuke scoffed but stayed quiet. Something was going on. Naruto and Sasuke seemed to be on the same page but Sakura and the others were miles behind. Naruto had read that scroll and they began to rush back to Konoha. Then they run into Sasuke! And now they were taking him back to Konoha? What the hell was going on?!

* * *

They soon found themselves walking through the Gates of Konoha. Sasuke looked up at the huge gates as he walked through, he seemed to have a huge weight put on his shoulders when he passed the threshold into his old home. He looked warily at the people they passed as they walked in. He then looked towards Sakura and she realized she was staring. Their eyes met and he seemed to be questioning her, about what she was not sure. Then he looked over to Naruto and she knew exactly what question he was asking.

The guards were in shock, the infamous Sasuke Uchiha was walking through the gates with their top ANBU team. They began to whisper; Naruto silenced them and gave strict orders that they were to not report who walked into the gates just now. But it was too late, the villagers on the crowded street were beginning to notice the individuals standing in their midst. They were murmuring in hushed voices to one another. "That's Naruto, and the Uchiha!"

"Kiba, Shino, Neji, Sakura, you're relieved of duty. Go home. I'll call for you when I need you." As Sakura was about to protest she saw Naruto's eyes through his mask. He was not in the mood. He was obviously trying to get out of there with as little commotion as possible and her arguing with him was not going to help. She turned to leave, and slowly began to walk through the growing throng. Then in a quiet voice, lower than a whisper she heard him, "I walked him right through those gates. The promise of a lifetime." She quickly turned around to find she was alone in the crowd of chattering people. The rumors of the return of Sasuke Uchiha with the great Naruto Uzumaki had begun to swell and grow.

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite if you enjoy my work!


	8. Reunion

Ch. 8

Tsunade was currently meeting with Kakashi and Shikamaru to discuss what to do about the Sound and the Rain. Kakashi was sitting in a relaxed position while Shikamaru was standing, as usual. Shikamaru was about to say something when the Hokage office door flew open. There stood Naruto and Sasuke. Shikamaru turned around in shock as Kakashi and Tsunade left their seats. Naruto looked at the shocked faces all around and stated, "We need to talk."

After an uncomfortable silence had passed, Naruto looked at the three and said, "We intercepted this communication on our mission." He handed the scroll to Tsunade. Tsunade slowly grabbed it and read it aloud. After she finished reading, Kakashi immediately asked, "So why are you here?" looking at Sasuke.

"We ran into him on our way back." Before Naruto could say anything else Sasuke immediately interjected, "I've come here to clear my name in connection with the Sound."

Shikamaru grabbed a cigarette, Tsunade looked at Kakashi, and Kakashi seemed to have no reaction. Or maybe the mask hid his reaction. Before anyone could say anything else, Sasuke immediately said all he needed to say, "I was on my way here to clear my name on my own, but then I ran into Naruto's team. I was promised a crack at the sound. I expect this promise to be kept."

Shikamaru dropped his head at how troublesome the situation was becoming while Kakashi and Tsunade looked at each other. It looked as if they might have been mentally communicating. Suddenly the door to the Hokage's office flew open again. This time it was Shizune with some urgent news.

"The council has called for a meeting to discuss the return of Sasuke Uchiha." She said it in a voice that showed she understood the delicacy of the situation but Tsunade was still annoyed. She looked over to Kakashi and said, "We have to handle this very carefully."

"I know."

Tsunade turned to Shikamaru and said, "Take Naruto and Sasuke somewhere they won't be seen until this meeting is over." Shikamaru nodded then Tsunade and Kakashi left.

"Follow me." Shikamaru said, not even attempting to hide the annoyance in his voice.

Naruto and Sasuke followed him until they reached a small empty room with nothing but a table and a few chairs. It had a window that overlooked the whole village and it looked like it had picked up some dust from not being used in a long time.

Shikamaru simply stated, "I have to listen in on these meetings due to my position. You guys stay here until I get back." He quietly left the room and thought to himself, _'This is gonna be a major drag…'_

* * *

Sasuke looked over at Naruto and noticed that, on the outside, he looked cool, calm and collected. However, he could see in his eyes that he was broken, hurting, and suffering.

He thought Naruto had it all, but now that he was right in front of him, he could see that Naruto wasn't anywhere near what he pictured he would be. Intrigued, he asked, "What do you want, Naruto?"

"Some peace and quiet."

Sasuke showed an amused grin at Naruto's attempt to shut down conversation.

"You know, I thought you had it all. You were the hero in the war, you're one of the most powerful shinobi to ever exist, you're respected all over the shinobi world, but somehow, you've found a way not to be happy. How are you doing that?"

Naruto slightly lifted his head and said in a monotone voice, "You know, you didn't used to be the talkative type."

"I usually didn't have to talk to you to know what you were thinking."

"Why do you care what I'm thinking?"

Sasuke looked at Naruto for a few seconds before answering. "We may have gone down different paths, but we're far from enemies."

Naruto didn't answer. He just walked over to the small window looking over the village and stood there.

"Don't make me use my Sharingan again."

"Good idea. It helped you out so much last time."

Sasuke could see he wasn't getting anywhere. He needed something that would help him get the information he wanted from Naruto. After a few seconds of thinking he turned to Naruto. "Do you remember that time you pranked Kakashi with that eraser?"

Naruto sighed and replied, "Yeah, what about it?" He was trying to hide the interest in his voice but Sasuke noticed it anyway.

"Did you know he didn't actually fall for it?"

Naruto did a 180 as he turned to Sasuke. "WHAT?!"

Naruto looked a little bit like that young Genin he used to be for two seconds before regaining his composure. Then he looked slightly suspicious and scrunched his eyes together. "How do you know?"

"I asked him."

"When?"

"When I was younger. I thought it was strange that a Jonin would fall for a prank like that, so sometime after the Chuunin exams I asked him about it. He basically said it was his way of analyzing us."

Naruto put his hand on his chin as he was thinking. Then a slight frown crept up to his face as he realized Sasuke was probably telling the truth.

"Oh well, I shouldn't be surprised. He was a Jonin after all." And just like that he was back to being that apathetic ANBU once again.

Sasuke decided to finally go for a straight up confrontation. "Naruto, do you know why what Sakura did hurt you so much?"

Naruto turned and in a sarcastic but monotone voice replied, "Please enlighten me."

"Did you ever think that maybe it was because of how much you loved her?"

Naruto was silent. He had tried not to think too much about Sakura but now Sasuke was directly confronting him on the subject.

"Think about it, Naruto. I betrayed you as well but you can still talk to me. You can still look at me and I didn't even come back to the village."

"That's different."

"Not really. I tried to kill you and failed."

Naruto turned around and in a sarcastic voice said, "Are your meditations in the mountains the cause for this outpouring of wisdom?"

Sasuke looked at him and said in a plain voice, "No, it's experience."

Sasuke noticed he now had Naruto's full attention. "You know about the slaughtering of the Uchiha. You also know that it was my own brother, Itachi, who was responsible. I had to watch my parents die at the hands of my brother. I lived with that hate for Itachi almost my whole life. You saw it." Naruto's head dropped slightly. "Now that we know why he did what he did, all that hatred, all that rage, all that anger, was for nothing." Naruto looked at Sasuke and noticed that for once the Uchiha was opening up to somebody.

Naruto looked at Sasuke with a seriousness in his eyes and said, "Why are you telling me this?"

Sasuke simply replied, "Because I think you're about to do something similar. What Sakura did was wrong, but you're the one stuck living with your hatred. I could tell just by looking at her that she was remorseful for what she had done, but I'm guessing you haven't really given her a chance to mend things." Naruto kept his head bowed feeling a little guilty.

"Look Naruto, I'm not saying to just forget what happened and act like everything is fine between you guys. I'm just saying to at least try. You obviously still care about her because you remembered the promise you made her when you were kids." Naruto raised his eyebrows in slight shock. He knew Sasuke was by him when he whispered at Sakura, but he thought he had whispered low enough for him not to hear. "I just don't want you to end up fixing things with Sakura 10 years from now and then get stuck thinking about all the time you lost."

"Like you…"

Sasuke looked at Naruto and noticed that he wasn't trying to hurt him but was instead empathizing with him and understood what he was going through.

After a few minutes of silence, Naruto looked back at Sasuke. He spoke in a soft voice, "You know, I'm pretty sure Konoha would love to have you back…" sounding slightly hopeful.

Sasuke let out a slight grin, "At least you're starting to sound like yourself again." Naruto let out a slight grin.

As he stood at the window, he noticed the training grounds then turned to Sasuke. "All this waiting is getting boring; I'm heading to the training grounds." Then Naruto looked at Sasuke and with a very visible grin held out his hand towards Sasuke showing one half of the unison sign. "You in?"

Sasuke turned and looked at the outstretched arm. He was curious to see how strong Naruto had gotten so there was no way he was turning down the offer. Without breathing a word, he accepted the unison sign with a slight grin since he knew Naruto wanted to see how strong he had gotten as well. The two left the room and headed for the training grounds.

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite if you enjoy my work!


	9. Sparring

Ch. 9

The council meeting was not going well. The council, with the exception of Tsunade, Kakashi and one other member, was trying to confine Sasuke to the village. He had received a full pardon because of his actions in the war, but since he hadn't returned to Konoha, he was still considered by some to be a rogue ninja.

As tensions rose, Kakashi tried to stay rational, "This idea that we can confine Sasuke to the village is unreasonable. What would he even do while he was here?"

A random councilman blurted out, "I don't care if he has to sit out in the fields gathering weeds! If we let him out of our sight, he's too much of a threat!"

Tsunade saw this meeting was going nowhere fast and decided to speak up. "The biggest problem with what you all are suggesting is the fact that if we confine Sasuke to the village, we'd also have to confine Naruto to the village. If Sasuke turned on us without Naruto here, no one would be able to stop him."

The same councilman from before replied, "Couldn't we just put a seal on him?!"

Kakashi simply answered, "On what grounds? He came here willingly. He was pardoned for all his actions due to his assistance in the war efforts, and even if we did seal him, he might be too powerful for any seal to contain. It's obvious he hasn't stopped training."

There was a moment of silence as the council members started running out of reasons to confine Sasuke to the village. Tsunade and Kakashi were making progress.

* * *

Naruto and Sasuke were standing on training ground 6. They were standing about 100 feet from each other as the water from the lake splashed against their feet. Naruto looked across the lake and half-yelled, "Same rules as our sparring matches when we were kids. Also, no flashy techniques. We don't need the attention."

"Agreed."

Naruto looked across the lake and said to Sasuke, "Give me a second." with a slight smirk.

Naruto entered the chamber where Kurama resided. "I know I haven't used your power in a while because I haven't really needed to, but this is Sasuke, so if we don't work together we'll probably both get humiliated…" he said while rubbing the back of his head and sporting an uncomfortable smile. "**That's the first real smile I've seen in years. If this will help you go back to being the regular Naruto, then I'll help." **Naruto was taken aback. He knew that he and Kurama no longer talked as much but he had no idea that Kurama actually cared about how he acted. He turned to Kurama and with a wide smile said, "So you did like me before."

"**I just thought it was interesting to watch you."**

Naruto looked at Kurama quizzically. "What do you mean?"

"**I mean that the village hated you and ostracized you. Then your best friend turned on you, but despite all that, you never broke or cracked. You were an anomaly. You always had this positive attitude, no matter what the circumstances. It was quite interesting to watch. But what was more interesting was watching what, or rather who, finally broke you." **Naruto let his head slightly drop as he pondered Kurama's words.

Suddenly Kurama turned from Naruto and was extremely alert. **"Sasuke's coming."**

Naruto left Kurama and found himself on the receiving end of a fist coming straight at him. He quickly used his forearm to block the incoming blow. "Your second is over."

Naruto grinned and activated his Kyuubi Chakra Mode (KCM). Sasuke activated his Sharingan and in a flash the lake was no longer still. Waves rolled over each other as the two shinobi were suddenly dealing a variety punches and blows. Naruto tried to start a Taijutsu barrage, but Sasuke's Sharingan was too good for that. Naruto threw two punches that were easily dodged then tried to surprise Sasuke with a third Kyuubi arm sprouting out of his back. He planned on making the arm go over his head so that he could attack from above. As Sasuke saw the third arm overhead, he sidestepped and landed a swift blow to Naruto's core. As Naruto reeled back to catch his breath, Sasuke pulled out his sword and began to attack, quickly changing his fighting style to keep Naruto off balance. He sliced in the general direction of Naruto's head. Naruto dodged and lost a few golden locks to Sasuke's sharp blade. Naruto used arm extensions of Kyuubi to block the blows, but it was proving more and more difficult. Naruto was stuck on the defensive, so he decided to create some distance between him and Sasuke. He manipulated the chakra in his feet and pushed himself a reasonable distance across the lake. It was apparent that Sasuke's movements were quicker and much more precise than when they last met. Naruto didn't think that was possible, but it was just proof that Sasuke had definitely been training these past few years.

* * *

Kakashi had sensed when Naruto entered KCM and started fighting Sasuke. He snuck a glance at Shikamaru who simply thought to himself, _'This is already turning into a major drag.'_

Tsunade had noticed as well but tried to keep her composure to avoid stirring up the council.

Sakura was walking back towards her apartment. She was reaching for the complex door when she noticed a faint orange glow over one of the training grounds. She knew she was ordered to stay put until Naruto called for the team, but she was determined to find out what was going on. As a member of Team 7 she had a right to know. She was already hopping across the roofs of Konoha with a million thoughts racing through her head. _'What was going on? Why was Naruto being so secretive? Why was Sasuke here? Why did it seem like Naruto and Sasuke were already on the same page?_' She felt like her head was about to explode and decided that the only way she'd get some answers was if she got them on her own.

* * *

Naruto decided it was time to go on the offensive. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Around 20 Shadow Clones popped up all around the two.

Sasuke smirked and said, "Still using that jutsu huh..."

Naruto grinned and started a taijutsu barrage with the recently formed shadow clones. Sasuke used his Sharingan to avoid most of the attacks as he dispatched the shadow clones one by one. He was able to dodge most of the attacks but got caught with a punch to the jaw at the very end. As he flew back and caught his footing, Naruto immediately launched a barrage of shuriken and kunai. He was hoping to sneak in a kunai with a tag on it to go in for the finishing blow with his Flying Raijin Technique. And it would've worked…if Sasuke didn't have a Sharingan. As Sasuke weaved through the shuriken and kunai, he noticed a tag similar to the one Minato used in the war. He immediately realized what Naruto was planning but even with his enhanced reflexes, Naruto was on top of him faster than he thought he would be. Naruto was just about to grab Sasuke and finish the fight, but right before he could touch him, Sasuke quickly pushed out his hands, "ALMIGHTY PUSH!" A huge shockwave suddenly blasted back Naruto and caused a mini earthquake. Naruto had just been within inches of winning the fight but now he was sky high having been blown away by the abilities of Sasuke's Rinnegan.

As Naruto steadied himself in the air, he noticed that Sasuke was the first person to successfully counter his Flying Raijin technique. He let out a slight grin as he noticed he could finally let loose a little. It was as if Sasuke was reading his mind and thinking the same thing because he wore a similar grin.

* * *

Tsunade and Kakashi had been successfully persuading the counsel to lean their way but then it felt like a mini earthquake hit. Kakashi sighed and closed his eyes, Shikamaru put his head down and Tsunade was visibly annoyed. Konoha wasn't known for earthquakes so a councilwoman turned to look out the window, "What is going on out there?!" As she looked out, she saw a small orange light floating above one of the training grounds along with the silhouette of a man standing on the water. "My, my. I do believe there's a fight going on between the Kyuubi and the Uchiha." The councilman from before immediately ran to the window. As soon as he saw it with his own eyes he yelled out, "SEE! I told you the Uchiha couldn't be trusted! He's already started a fight with our strongest shinobi!" Tsunade, Kakashi and Shikamaru all looked at each other as their faces filled with exasperation.

* * *

Sakura had just arrived at the training ground and was surprised to find Neji, Kiba and Shino already there. She looked at Naruto who was now floating high above the water and Sasuke who was standing on the water. Upon looking closely at the two figures, she noted that they actually seemed to be in good spirits. She now had more questions than she did when she had originally started to journey towards the training grounds_. 'What had started this fight? Why were Naruto and Sasuke already fighting within an hour of his arrival? Was it a serious fight or some friendly sparring? And it if was a friendly sparring match, how were they already on such good terms?'_ As her mind bombarded her with questions, her thought process was interrupted by a sudden shout.

"SUSANOO!"

Suddenly an incomplete Susanoo formed around Sasuke. The Susanoo was the same distinct purple color. It consisted of a ribcage and an arm that hung over Sasuke. After the Susanoo had fully materialized, Sasuke flew straight up towards Naruto. As Naruto charged back towards him, Sasuke flung his hand out and yelled, "CHIDORI!" Suddenly his hand was filled with a dark lightning. Naruto replied by flinging his hand behind him and yelling, "RASENGAN!" The Rasengan was fully formed within a second.

Neji looked over to everyone who was standing around him, "This is getting out of hand." Shino kept his eyes on the fight, but replied, "We know, but none of us could even come close to stopping them."

Sasuke and Naruto were getting closer and closer to colliding, but right before they collided they heard a loud shout.

"KAMUI!"

Both shinobis came to a dead halt as the area they were about to clash into started twisting and distorting into a different space-time. Sasuke and Naruto defused their attacks then turned to look down at the obvious culprit. There stood Kakashi, with his Mangekyo Sharingan on display. Beside him stood Tsunade, Shikamaru and the council. Naruto and Sasuke then turned and noticed that Naruto's team had been watching the fight from the other side of the lake.

Sasuke looked at Naruto with a blank stare and Naruto automatically knew what he was thinking. Their sparring session was officially over.

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite if you enjoy my work!


	10. Conflict

Ch. 10

Kakashi and the others watched as Naruto and Sasuke slowly descended from the sky. When they finally landed on the water, Naruto's KCM disappeared and Sasuke's Susanoo disappeared. Tsunade started charging forward to start yelling when Kakashi held out his hand stopping her. He looked at the two shinobi and asked them plainly, "What's going on here?"

The councilman made sure to say his piece before Naruto and Sasuke could say anything. "Isn't it obvious?! The Uchiha is already causing trouble within his first hour of being here!"

Naruto immediately stepped forward, "You're wrong. This was my idea." The councilman who originally made the accusations was very visibly shocked. The rest of the council was very visibly shocked as well, with Kakashi being the only exception. The Konoha nin were visibly shocked although not to the same extent.

It was at this point that Sakura started putting the pieces together. She thought to herself. _'It looks like this may have been a friendly sparring match, but how are they already on such good terms? Maybe it wasn't necessarily a friendly sparring session but just a sparring session to gauge their abilities.'_

Kakashi studied Naruto for a few seconds, then Sasuke, then turned back to Naruto, "Explain."

Naruto stared into space trying to quickly think of a diplomatic way of saying he was bored waiting, but nothing came to mind. He started hesitantly with a hand behind his head, "Well, we were waiting for you guys to come to a decision…..and there wasn't much to do…so we decided to spar out here to kill the time…" The way he said it made it sound like he didn't believe it himself.

There was a moment of silence as Kakashi looked at the two. He thought to himself, _'Sasuke is back for less than an hour and Naruto is already going back to being his old self. Interesting.'_

Kakashi looked over at Naruto, "Naruto, you're physically the most powerful member of the ANBU. You know that your strength must not only be physical, but mental. If you can't wait less than an hour for a decision to be made, that says something about the strength of your mind." Naruto put his head down and looked properly chastised.

Before Kakashi could say anything else Sasuke broke into the conversation. "Has the council come to a decision regarding my fate?" he said with a sarcastic flare. Kakashi looked at Tsunade and Tsunade looked at the rest of the council. After a few moments of silence, Tsunade spoke up, "The council hasn't yet come to a decision…..The main issue being discussed is your confinement to Konoha."

Naruto and his team on the other side of the lake couldn't hide their shock at the statement. Sasuke's expression however, stayed the same.

He looked directly at the council members with his piercing eyes. "What do you guys expect me to do if I'm confined to Konoha, sit here twiddling my thumbs?"

Kakashi glanced at the councilman, "The exact words used were gathering weeds…" Naruto let out a stifled giggle as he imagined Sasuke gathering weeds.

In a painfully monotone voice, Sasuke stated, "I was promised a shot at the Sound. If that offer no longer stands, I'm leaving. I'll take my shot at them alone."

The councilman turned to Sasuke, "If you leave, we'll have no way to confirm you aren't working with the Sound!"

"That's your problem."

There was a very long silence at his statement and the tension could be felt in the air. Sasuke looked around at everyone present, "This isn't going anywhere. I'm leaving." A Susanoo appeared around Sasuke but this time, it was the complete Susanoo. The members of the council immediately turned towards Naruto almost as if to say he should try to stop him. Naruto looked at them, then at Sasuke. Much to his surprise, Sasuke was already staring at him, almost as if he was wondering what Naruto would do as well. After a few seconds of thought, he turned to the council, "I'm the one who promised Sasuke Uchiha a shot at the Sound. If that promise won't be kept, I'm not gonna try to stop him from leaving. My suggestion is for the council to allow Sasuke the freedom to participate in any and all missions concerning the Sound. Not only would he be a valuable asset in the field, he also has my complete trust."

The members of the council expressed their shock by very audibly moaning and grumbling to each other. Tsunade looked at Kakashi to see what his reaction was to this. His face was expressionless, but somehow pensive.

Kiba turned to the rest of the group and almost yelled, "Are you kidding me?!"

Shino simply said in a hushed voice, "Quiet."

Sakura wondered what had happened between the two to cause…whatever this was. They almost looked like they were friends with a common goal. But they were barely on speaking terms a few hours ago. She half smiled at the sight of two members of Team 7 on such good terms. Unfortunately, the smile didn't last long. It slowly turned into a frown as she felt a pang of hurt and guilt as she thought about why she wasn't close to Naruto as well.

Kakashi finally left his pensive state and turned towards the council, "I have a proposal." After a short pause he began, "Sasuke Uchiha will not be confined to the village; however, he will be required to stay within a reasonable distance of Naruto Uzumaki at all times. From living in Konoha, to going on missions and everything in between. Naruto is the only shinobi powerful enough to prevent any damage from occurring in the case of a betrayal. What do you all say to this?" The members of the council paused then began to talk amongst themselves. After a few minutes, Tsunade turned to Kakashi and said, "The council wishes to define a reasonable distance as being in eyesight. If that is the definition of a reasonable distance, the council accepts these terms."

All eyes were now on Sasuke as Kakashi turned to him, "Sasuke Uchiha, do you accept these terms?"

Sasuke's Susanoo slowly unwrapped from around his body. When it had completely disappeared, he looked at Kakashi, "I accept the terms."

Kakashi and Tsunade looked at each other. They understood they had just dodged a serious bullet. Kakashi now turned back to Sasuke, "Then it's settled. You'll be staying with Naruto until your next mission." Sasuke looked over at Naruto and gave a curt nod of acknowledgement. Naruto returned the favor.

Kakashi saw no one was moving even although everything had been settled. He turned to Tsunade and whispered into her ear, "Dismiss the council." Tsunade nodded and stepped forward towards the council, "The council is dismissed." The council members understood what was really being said and dispersed rather quickly.

Naruto saw his team waiting on the other side of the lake and decided they had a right to know what was going on. He started walking over to them, then stopped and motioned for Sasuke to follow him, "Eyes distance remember?" He said with a slight grin. Sasuke grunted and reluctantly started following him to the other end of the lake.

As Naruto and Sasuke got closer to the team, a thousand thoughts started racing through Sakura's head. She was about to stand face to face with Naruto and the man she betrayed him for. _'What were they coming to say? Why were they already possibly on such good terms? How would the team respond? How would she respond?' _She could feel her throat start to tighten up as Naruto and Sasuke reached where they were standing on the other side of the lake.

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite if you enjoy my work!


	11. Time

Ch. 11

Naruto and Sasuke stopped a few feet from the team, then Naruto looked at the team. "As I'm sure you guys just heard, Sasuke is going to be a member of this team until we figure out what's going on between the Sound and the Rain. Until then, I expect Sasuke to be treated like any other member of this team. We don't have any intel we can actually act on, so for now we don't have any missions. However, there will be a training session tomorrow at 6AM. Understood?"

Everyone gave a silent nod of understanding, everyone except Sakura. Naruto noticed she looked slightly detached from the situation, then he remembered how he had excluded her from the previous training session and felt a slight pang of guilt. He avoided looking at Sakura but stated clearly, "I expect everyone to be present tomorrow. We need to start working on our coordination as a team." As soon as he said that, Sakura turned and glanced his way as a slight blush crept onto her face, Naruto was very purposefully not looking her way.

Was Naruto making her feel included? If he was, was it professional or personal? Sakura decided she didn't care and that she would just enjoy this small victory.

Naruto was watching her reaction out of the corner of his eye and felt a little better due to her positive reaction. Naruto looked at the team, "We're done here." Neji, Kiba and Shino gave a curt nod and left. Sakura stayed behind as if she had more questions. Naruto looked in her direction, "Were you going to say something?"

The blunt question caught Sakura off guard. She looked up to see Naruto and Sasuke, both staring at her and waiting for a response. She had so many questions but now she couldn't think of any. Her mind went completely blank and she just froze. After a few seconds, Sasuke turned to Naruto. Naruto looked like he was drawing a blank as well. He wasn't used to Naruto being left speechless and he had to admit it was interesting to see. He noticed the lagging silence surrounding the three and finally spoke up. "You know, I'm pretty sure I could sneak away right now and you wouldn't notice." That seemed to knock Naruto out of his trance.

Naruto realized he was staring at the ground and quickly looked up. Sasuke was standing there slightly shaking his head. Naruto scrunched his eyes at him and cleared his throat, "Well, I was thinking about going to Ichiraku's." He turned to Sakura. After a short pause, he looked at Sakura and managed to mutter out, "If you want, you can come." He looked over at Sasuke, "You don't have a choice, Teme." Sasuke rolled his eyes as he said "Some things never change."

Naruto slightly grinned as he and Sasuke started walking away. Naruto looked behind them and noticed that Sakura wasn't moving. "You coming?" Sakura was in a slight daze but managed to stutter out a "Yes."

* * *

Kakashi and Tsunade had been watching the interaction from the other side of the lake. They didn't know what was said, but they did see all three members of Team 7 walking towards the village. Tsunade turned to Kakashi, "Is it just me, or do Naruto and Sasuke almost look like they used to when they were kids?" Kakashi was covering his Sharingan as he turned to answer, "No. There's definitely a familiarity between the two." Kakashi started pensively looking out over the lake. Shikamaru noticed that Kakashi was thinking way harder than he usually did. "What are you thinking?"

Kakashi turned to Shikamaru and Tsunade, "When I first saw Sasuke standing with Naruto at the office door, I thought he was going to cause nothing but trouble for the village."

Shikamaru looked at Kakashi, "He might still cause nothing but trouble for the village…"

"Maybe, but I think he could possibly have an overall positive impact while he's here."

Tsunade put a hand on her chin, "You're talking about Naruto."

"Yes. Sasuke has only been here a little over an hour and Naruto is acting somewhat rashly…like he used to." He turned to Tsunade "You assigning Sakura to Naruto's team was a brilliant move, but now that Sasuke's on the team there's no telling what may happen."

Shikamaru paused for a few seconds before replying to Kakashi, "Kakashi, as much as I want Sasuke to help Naruto and Sakura, we have to remember not to be too optimistic. If Sasuke's intentions are good, he may end up helping Naruto and Sakura. But what if he has bad intentions? Or no intentions like he usually does? At best, he could bring Naruto and Sakura back together; at worst, he could tear them even further apart than they are now."

After a long pause, Kakashi looked out over the water again and said in a faint whisper, "Only time will tell."

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite if you enjoy my work!


	12. Broken

Ch. 12

The sun was setting as Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura walked through the village at a casual pace. The three noticed they were starting to draw attention to themselves. Random villagers were now casting glances at them and whispering amongst themselves, "Those are the three original members of Team 7…" It was a little too late to try to be inconspicuous so the three decided to just speed up their pace.

Choji, Ino and Hinata were eating at a tempura restaurant when they noticed the three walk by briskly.

Choji stopped short of taking a bite, "Whoa. I heard he was back but I didn't expect to see that."

Ino was still in shock, "I don't even know what…THAT…was…" She turned to Choji, "You think they're all back on good terms?"

Hinata interrupted in a silent but firm voice, "No, I know Naruto. If they were all on good terms, he'd be smiling… or laughing. He looked like he didn't really know what to do with them by his side. Like he didn't know what to say..."

Choji paused then turned to Ino, "She's right. I still remember what they used to be like, there's no way they're all on good terms."

Ino gave an understanding nod. Maybe she would talk to Sakura later to get more information.

* * *

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura finally arrived at Ichiraku and sat down. Teuchi and Ayame were in the kitchen preparing a new batch of noodles. Ayame heard the customers sit down and rushed to finish her batch. After a few seconds, she rushed out of the kitchen with a smile, "What can I get you guys?"

Then she noticed that it was all three members of the former Team 7 who were sitting at the bar. "Dad? I think you'll want to see this…"

"What is it, Ayame?" Teuchi inquisitively peeked out of the kitchen. An expression of shock crossed his face before he regained his composure. He knew that tensions were probably running high so he wanted to help them relax a bit. "Remembering old times, huh?"

Naruto took his ANBU mask off and placed it on the bar then he looked at the broken team before replying, "More like we needed to talk, but in any case, you know what we usually order." He managed a slight smile and Teuchi noted he was actually trying to be somewhat sociable. He had witnessed the change in Naruto after the war and was hoping that he'd one day see that kid who just really enjoyed eating his ramen. He smiled at the fond memories then turned to Naruto, "You got it boss."

As the ramen was being prepared, there was an awkward silence between the three. Sakura was now a lot more coolheaded and had a lot of questions, but she didn't want to immediately start pressing the two for information, so she resolved to try to start some light conversation. She turned to Sasuke, "So, how are the mountains?"

"Rocky."

Sakura slightly rolled her eyes then sighed as she thought about how hopeless her situation was. She wanted to talk to the two shinobi but she wasn't on speaking terms with one, and the other one wouldn't even hold a conversation. Then she heard something she hadn't heard in a long time. Naruto was giggling to himself. He had been so serious and grave the past few years but now she saw a small sliver of his old self.

Sasuke turned to Naruto, "What's so funny?"

Naruto still wore a slight smile as he looked at Sasuke, "I forgot about how you used to answer questions with one word…"

Sasuke grunted and turned back to look at some condiments on the bar.

Sakura gave an affectionate smile as she savored the sight of a little bit of the old Naruto. Naruto noticed she was looking and turned to her. She had no idea what to do. Her cheeks suddenly turned a light shade of pink as Naruto and her were now looking directly at each other. After a second of looking into those blue eyes of his, she saw that his eyes weren't the vibrant blue they used to be. They were a pale, light blue. He looked like a man hardened by life. She didn't see the anger and rage she had been seeing the past few years, she just saw raw pain. She immediately wished she hadn't looked into his eyes and looked away. She always thought that Naruto was so strong, that he could bounce back from anything, but in that moment she saw that somehow, someway she had deeply scarred him. Her betrayal was the one thing he couldn't take. It broke him, possibly beyond repair. Naruto slowly turned away. There wasn't much to look at so he just looked down at his fox shaped ANBU mask.

After a few minutes of silence between the three, Ayame came out of the kitchen. "Dinner is served!"

The three nin expressed their thanks, said grace and started eating. Sasuke finished first and noticed that Naruto was eating with less enthusiasm than he used to, "It's almost disturbing to see you eating like a normal human being."

"Thank the ANBU." Sasuke gave him a short glance and turned away to look at the condiments again.

Sakura watched as Naruto slowly ate the ramen. She knew he was using the ANBU as an excuse. The real reason he was eating with so little enthusiasm was because of the pain she had caused him.

"Did you come here with us just to ask me about the mountains?"

Sakura got knocked out of her thought process and saw Sasuke giving her a blank stare as he waited for an answer. She was caught off guard…..again. She decided she better take a deep breath and try to ask the best question she could think of.

It was as if all the questions she had been thinking about spilled out at once. "What exactly is going on here? What's all this business with the Sound? And what does it have to do with you?"

Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other, then, after a short pause, Naruto put down his chopsticks and turned to Sakura, "The scroll we intercepted on our mission ended up containing crucial information. It was a communication between the Sound and the Rain. But it wasn't any communication, it was a communication confirming a future offensive against the Leaf and possibly the Sand." Sakura's eyes widened at the news. "In the communication, the Rain's new leader was declared to be Sasuke." Sakura started leaning closer in after that. Her shock was apparent. "When we ran into Sasuke, he was on his way to try to clear his name. He claims he has nothing to do with this alliance. I'm filling the team in tomorrow at the training session."

After sitting there in stunned silence for a few seconds, Sakura thought about another question she had wanted to ask. A more personal one. She wanted to know the real reason they were fighting, not the cover up they had gave the council. She wasn't sure how they would respond so she asked in a rather silent voice, "What were you guys doing fighting each other?"

Sasuke turned to her. "Weren't you at the training ground when Naruto was talking to Kakashi?"

Sakura looked down and muttered out a silent, "Yes." She knew that he knew what she was really asking and he wasn't going to give an answer.

Just then, Naruto finished his bowl of ramen. He stood up, picked up his ANBU mask that was on the bar, and turned to his former teammates. In that same monotone voice he had grown accustomed to, he simply said, "I think we're done here."

Sasuke stood up as well. Sakura just sat there with her head slightly down. Naruto looked over to Sakura, "See you tomorrow." There was no mistaking it, he was being strictly professional. His voice was too monotone to be anything else. As he and Sasuke walked away, she found herself almost wishing he hadn't said anything at all. She sat there alone at the bar for a couple of minutes before slowly walking away towards her apartment.

Ayame looked at Sakura as she left the bar then whispered to Teuchi, "They're broken, Dad….."

"Give it time, Ayame. Give it time….."

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	13. Tête-à-tête - Part 1

Ch. 13

Naruto unlocked his front door then motioned for Sasuke to walk in. As he turned on the lights, he noticed Sasuke examining the place. "You haven't changed much around here."

Naruto was now taking off his ANBU gear. "Not much reason to."

After all his gear was off, he started heading towards his room but noticed Sasuke was watching him like a hawk. It felt as if Sasuke's eyes weren't looking only at his physical body but rather into his soul. He thought Sasuke would turn away after he got caught staring but he just kept staring anyway.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Sasuke turned to him and in a serious voice stated, "The longer you take to fix things, the more it's gonna hurt."

Naruto was taken aback but tried not to show it. He turned to Sasuke and said in the same monotone voice, "I never thought I'd be getting relationship advice from you of all people."

Sasuke made sure to avoid his attempt at staying away from the topic of Sakura. "I saw you guys at Ichiraku's."

Naruto paused for a few moments and then turned to Sasuke, "If you need a change of clothes, you can get some from the drawer in my room. I'm going to take a shower." Another Sakura dodge.

As Naruto started walking towards his bathroom, Sasuke started walking towards the apartment door. "Where do you think you're going?"

Sasuke replied in a monotone voice that matched the one Naruto had grown accustomed to. "To get some air, the air in here is pretty stale…" Naruto scrunched his eyes in anger, but before he could say anything, Sasuke cut him off. "Naruto, you and I both know I have no intention of leaving the village, and if I don't want to be seen, I won't be seen."

Naruto paused for two seconds, crossed him arms, and replied with a very sharp and curt, "Fine." then turned around and slammed the door as he went into the bathroom. Sasuke simply opened the door and walked out of Naruto's apartment.

Sasuke was in no rush to get to where he was going, but he moved swiftly and silently through the rooftops to make sure he wasn't seen.

* * *

Sakura had just finished taking a shower. She had on a flowery kimono and was drying her hair with a towel when she heard a knock at her door. She reached for the handle and pulled the door slightly open. She couldn't hide her shock as she saw Sasuke Uchiha standing in her doorway. Her mind started racing again, _'Why is he here? How is he here without Naruto? Does Naruto know he's here?'_ Before she could think of any more questions she heard Sasuke say in a firm voice, "We need to talk."

* * *

She looked at that serious face and those piercing eyes of his before motioning for him to come in. She looked at him and in a soft voice said, "If you want you can sit down." Motioning to a chair on the kitchen table.

"I'll stand."

She felt a little annoyed at his response. He had come to her house, not the other way around. The least he could do was show some manners. She remembered who was standing in her kitchen and felt some of the anger dissipate. She knew it wasn't personal. He always acted this way. She turned to him and said in a firm voice, "Where is Naruto?"

"By now, probably getting out of the shower." She felt her cheeks start turning pink at the thought and turned away to some leftover tea that was sitting on the stove. Sasuke kept his usual blank stare although he noticed what had happened.

After she regained her composure, she turned to him, "What does that mean?"

"It means that when I left, he was about to take a shower."

Sakura's shoulders dropped at how basic his answers were. She needed to figure out why he was here.

She sat down and said in a slightly exasperated voice, "Why are you here, Sasuke?"

"To ask some questions, mainly about Naruto."

Sakura was slightly shocked but then she thought to herself, _'I should've known.'_

She lowered her head a little then softly stated, "So you're here about Naruto…"

"Yes."

She looked slightly dejected as she thought about the fact that she had hurt Naruto so bad that Sasuke was getting involved. Sasuke was studying her expression but decided he better move the conversation along quickly. He was supposed to be with Naruto after all. "How bad is it?"

Sakura kept her head slightly bowed then after a long pause, she responded. "After you guys fought, we came back to Konoha and he stopped talking to me. I tried to apologize, but…I didn't really know what to say. The best I could come up with was…I'm sorry." She was trying to avoid looking at Sasuke. "I thought maybe he'd just forgive me and forget about it. I tried to joke around with him…like I usually did." After a short pause she continued, "He wouldn't respond though… I stopped trying when one day I was going to give him a playful punch…like old times...He caught it. I never forgot that look in his eyes. It was a look that said we weren't friends anymore…" Her eyes slowly started watering. "He hasn't said a word to me these past three years..." For the first time in her life, Sakura saw Sasuke's face fill with pure shock as he realized the situation was far worse than he thought. As tears started running down her face, she started talking through the crying, "The last time he talked to me was yesterday…I grabbed his hand while we were outside the Hokage's office…" She started full on crying as she yelled out her next sentence. "Do you know what he called me?! Haruno-san!" As she continued to sob, she said it again, but in a hushed voice, "Haruno-san…"

Sasuke just stood there as she was crying. He never really knew what to do in these situations, but he noticed a box of tissues on her kitchen table. He grabbed it then knelt down next to her holding out the tissues. She looked slightly surprised but graciously accepted them. Sasuke finally pulled out the chair next to her and sat down. His voice was soft and full of understanding, "Sakura, have you ever thought about why Naruto was, and is still, so cold with you? I mean really thought about it?"

She responded in a silent and noticeably detached voice, "Maybe because I betrayed him after all he did for me….."

Sasuke sighed then replied, "Or maybe it's because of how much he still loves you."

Sakura kept her head bowed, "He doesn't love me….."

"Yes, he does."

Sasuke watched as Sakura kept coldly staring at the kitchen table. He could tell she wasn't buying it. He paused for a little then spoke up, "You remember when Naruto and I were talking out in the open while you and the rest of the team were hiding in the trees?"

Sakura gave a simple, slow nod.

"We discussed more than the mission." Sakura didn't move, but he could tell she was paying attention.

"I used my Sharingan." Sakura's head quickly spun around as she began to intently look at Sasuke.

"We had a whole other conversation…about you." Now Sakura was looking at him hard enough to burn a hole through him.

After a short pause, Sasuke smiled as he started talking, "He doesn't hate you Sakura. When I used my Sharingan, I was searching for answers about this business between the Sound and the Rain. I stumbled onto the brightest point in his mind…and it was you. He still loves you." Sakura's looked down as her eyes started watering again. "The reason he's treated you the way he's treated you is because of that exact reason. It's because he loved you so much that, when you betrayed him, it hurt him way more than it would if anyone else did. Including me… It's proof that you matter to him, Sakura… To be honest, you matter to him a lot….."

Sakura could feel the hot tears running down her face again as she started sniffling. How could Naruto still love her? When he needed her the most, she had betrayed him. But somehow, he still loved her.

Sasuke decided he had better get going. He had said all that he needed to say, the main question he wanted an answer to had been answered and Sakura looked like she needed to be alone. He let out a small sigh as he stood up. "Goodbye Sakura." He started walking towards the door when he heard Sakura ask him a question through some sniffles, "How did you do it?"

He turned around, "Do what?"

"Fix things with Naruto..."

She looked down and said, "You were only here for around an hour and you already had his complete trust by that point."

Sasuke looked at the ground and actually gave a slight smile. "Today, when we got to the Hokage's office, we didn't get to say much before the council called a meeting to discuss my return. As a result, Shikamaru had to take us to a room to wait as the council convened. While we were waiting, I tried to talk to him, but he shut me down. So I tried to take a trip down memory lane by talking about the time he pranked Kakashi with that eraser; he shut me down…again." Sakura gave a slight smile as she remembered the joyful Genin Naruto used to be. "After that I decided to try talking to him about you…and it worked." At this point, Sakura felt like a water balloon because tears were running down her face again.

Sasuke looked at her with a bit of pity as he considered what she was going through. He talked to her in a soft voice, "Sakura, I don't want you to think I fixed everything when I got here today. He has to know you're sorry. He knew that I was sorry at the Valley of the End. Half of the work was done there, so you're going to have to come up with a better apology than the one you told me you gave him. Not only that, he loves you more and in a different way than he loves me, so you'll probably have to do more than I did." He gave her one last glance before he turned around and pulled the door handle to leave.

Sasuke was halted by Sakura's now hoarse voice, "Sasuke…Thank you."

He gave a curt nod and closed the door.

Sakura felt like an emotional wreck but at least she knew Naruto still loved her. Sasuke had given her something she had very little of…hope.

As Sasuke was leaving, he jumped onto a rooftop. It was now nighttime, so there was more cover. He browsed the rooftops ahead looking for shadows then headed back to Naruto's apartment.

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	14. Tête-à-tête - Part 2

Ch. 14

Ino had more questions than she could wrap her head around. She really needed to talk to Sakura. Hopefully Sakura was awake and willing to talk. As she reached the door to Sakura's apartment, she reached out and gave 3 light knocks…..No answer. She knocked 3 more times…..Still no answer. Sakura had to be home right? Where would she be at this time of night? Sure it wasn't that far past 9PM, but Sakura shouldn't be out doing anything around this time. Maybe she just wanted to be alone.

Ino said in a singsongy voice, "Sakuraaaa?" No answer. "Are you in there?" A hint of slight exasperation was present in her voice. Ino decided to put her ear to the door to hear if there was any activity. Nothing.

Sakura was sitting on her kitchen table. She just wanted to be left alone, especially with all that had happened a few moments ago. She needed some time to process the information and decide what to do. She was still crying a little due to her conversation with Sasuke. As she grabbed a tissue, she let out a slight sniffle. That was all Ino needed to hear.

"Sakuraaaa. I know you're in there." She started knocking rather vehemently. "Open up. I just wanna talk." Sakura put her head down on the kitchen table. She did not want to talk and she wasn't going to budge. Ino thought to herself, _'Man, that meeting with Naruto and Sasuke must not have went well at all…' _She resolved to knock one more time before giving up. She gave three mildly loud knocks…no answer. She finally stopped knocking and let out a small sigh.

* * *

Naruto looked at the time as he walked across his kitchen. 9:17. Normally, he wouldn't think it was that late, but he had a training session at 6AM tomorrow. He needed to get some rest. He slipped into some blue sandals and decided he'd go to sleep as soon as Sasuke got back. Sasuke would need some sleep too, that is unless he was nocturnal like Naruto suspected. He wondered if he was slightly crazy for letting him go out by himself, then he remembered the last thing Sasuke said before he left. Why did Sasuke have to pay so much attention to him and Sakura anyway. It wasn't his business…but then again, he was just trying to help. Naruto's thoughts were bouncing around from one way of thinking to another. He dropped down onto the couch, then yelled in a voice of exasperation, "Uuuuuggghh! This is too confusing!". He suddenly heard the laughing of a familiar voice. He scrunched his eyes with a slightly disapproving frown. He entered Kurama's chamber once more, "What are you laughing at?!" Kurama was still laughing. Naruto crossed his arms in an almost pouting stance and Kurama finally stopped laughing.

"**I've watched you, and even been by your side, as you've fought many enemies. Orochimaru, Pain, the Akatsuki, Tobi, Madara, Sasuke, Kaguya and many others. But when it comes to Sakura, you can't seem to figure things out." **Kurama was now resting his head on his arm as he looked down at Naruto. Naruto swiveled his head to the side as a sweatball formed on the side of his forehead. "It's complicated, all right!"

Kurama was now serious. **"More complicated than taking on some of the people I just mentioned?"**

Naruto uncrossed his arms and looked down. "I don't know…Maybe…"

Kurama looked with pity on the man who was now standing before him. **"I don't think so kid." **He paused for a short moment, then continued. **"Do you know what the difference is between when you fought all those people and this situation you're dealing with regarding Sakura?"**

Naruto was still looking dejected and didn't respond. Kurama could tell he was waiting for the answer though, so he spoke up. **"When you fought all of those enemies, you always tried your hardest. You always gave it everything you had. I should know because I was there. And when you didn't have enough power to win on your own, you always had your friends to back you up. Those friends are still here, trying to help you right now." **He paused before bringing his eye down to Naruto's level. **"Don't let life situations change who you are kid." **Then Kurama put his head on his paws and shut his eyes.

After Naruto processed all that Kurama had said, he let out a slight smile and whispered, "Thanks Kurama…" The fox simply smiled.

* * *

Sasuke had just arrived outside Naruto's apartment. He was about to reach for the door, but suddenly stopped short and put his hand down. "There are very few people that can sneak up on me…Kakashi…"

Kakashi stepped out of the shadows and let out one of his trademark smiles. "I've got some experience in the sneaking up on people department."

Sasuke gave him a blank stare then asked, "What do you want, Kakashi?" As much as Sasuke didn't want to admit it, he was slightly tired. It had been a long day and now Kakashi was making it longer.

Kakashi had a copy of Ichi Ichi Paradise in one hand, he raised the other hand to his chin and looked up pensively before replying. "First of all, I thought you were supposed to be within eyes distance of Naruto…at all times…" He turned back to Sasuke waiting for an answer.

Sasuke looked out over the village as he replied. "Me and him both know I have no intentions of leaving the village. He let me go."

"Did he know you were going to Sakura's?"

Sasuke's head quickly swiveled over to Kakashi who was now reading a chapter of Ichi Ichi Paradise. Kakashi must have been watching him since he left Naruto's apartment.

"Do you stalk people for a hobby?"

Kakashi kept reading as he replied, "No, just the ones I care about."

Sasuke gave a slight eyeroll and said in a monotone voice, "What are you really trying to ask me, Kakashi?"

Kakashi closed his book, put it in his pocket, then crossed his arms and turned to Sasuke. "At first, I thought you only cared about clearing your name, but then I noticed you seemed to actually be helping Naruto. When you got here, Naruto was completely closed off to anybody. I doubt that would change for you, so the only explanation left is that there was some effort on your part to restore your previous relations. Now I catch you going to Sakura's without his knowledge. You and I both know that you two aren't involved romantically, so the only reason I could see you going there is to discuss Naruto." Kakashi paused for a second, then continued, "To be frank, why are you doing all the things you're doing? All of the things I just mentioned have nothing to do with the Sound and the Rain, which is supposed to be your reason for being here."

Sasuke looked off into the village once more, then paused before replying. "I owe him a debt."

Kakashi studied him as he replied, "Ahhhh. So you're trying to help him go back to his old self and fix his relationship with Sakura because you owe him for what happened a few years ago."

Sasuke gave a slow nod.

Kakashi raised a hand to his chin and said in a hushed voice, "Now your actions make a little more sense." Kakashi was glad that he was making progress, but he could tell he didn't have all of the information.

He looked at Sasuke pensively, then decided to change the subject. "Enough about Naruto and Sakura. What about you?"

Sasuke turned to look at him. "What about me?"

Kakashi leaned against Naruto's balcony before speaking. "I'd like to know how you're feeling right now. I know it can't be easy being here knowing about what you did in the past, but somehow you don't seem too unsettled being here."

Sasuke looked back out over the village, "The past is the past. I can't change what I did, so there's no point dwelling on it."

Kakashi was carefully studying Sasuke. "Do you really believe that?"

Sasuke turned away from the village, looked back at Kakashi, then in a voice firm enough to convince himself replied, "Yes."

"Then why not come back? It's clear that Konoha has already forgiven you and would welcome you back with open arms."

Sasuke looked back out over the city and leaned on Naruto's balcony before whispering in a hushed voice, "It's not that simple. Things change. Times change. People-" Motioning his head towards Naruto's apartment, "change."

Kakashi dropped his head as he now understood one of the reasons Sasuke hadn't returned to the village. Kakashi now knew one reason why Sasuke was staying away from the village, but there was something else keeping Sasuke away from the village and Kakashi was determined to find out what it was.

"So let's say, hypothetically speaking, that when you came back, the village was the exact same. Naruto wasn't so unlike himself, Sakura wasn't so depressed all the time, etc. Would you come back then?" Sasuke continued to look out over the city as he replied, "It's still not that simple."

"Why not?"

Sasuke thought for a few moments before replying, "This village…it just isn't on my path." Kakashi noted the first two words of that sentence, then after a few seconds of thinking to himself he realized what the second problem was.

Kakashi slightly dropped his head as he finally uncovered the two main obstacles keeping Sasuke away from the village. First of all, Sasuke was stuck looking at what could've been. He was probably plaguing himself with thoughts about how if he were here, he maybe could've stopped Naruto from becoming what he was now. Or maybe he would be an accomplished ninja like Naruto – who was now a member of the ANBU. Kakashi let out a sigh as he pondered the first problem. Then he thought about the second obstacle in Sasuke's way…guilt. He had already suspected that Sasuke's self-imposed exile was his way of punishing himself for his betrayal, but his statement about this village not being on his path confirmed Kakashi's suspicions. The shinobi world may have forgiven him, but he still had not forgiven himself.

Kakashi paused and then after a few short moments spoke in a light, but firm, voice. "Sasuke, you'll never be able to be who you want to be if you keep looking over your shoulder at what could've been." Sasuke continued to look out over the village although he was listening. "We've all made mistakes, Sasuke. We've all failed to live the exact way we've wanted to. But failure is something we all have to live with. It's how we overcome it that matters."

After a few moments, Kakashi lifted himself from Naruto's balcony and turned to Sasuke with a smile. "I think I better get going. It's getting late, and if I know Naruto, you guys have an early training session. Probably for team coordination."

Sasuke smirked and gave a slight nod. Kakashi jumped onto the balcony and got ready to jump off. "See you around, Sasuke." Right before he jumped he heard Sasuke call his name, "Kakashi?"

Kakashi turned to him. "Yes."

"Do you believe in fate?"

Kakashi paused for a few moments, looked up, then turned back to Sasuke and replied with a smile, "Only the kind you make happen."

Sasuke smiled and gave a nod. Kakashi returned the nod and jumped off the balcony. As Kakashi moved through the rooftops, he felt a wave of relief at the fact that he now knew Sasuke's intentions were good.

* * *

Sasuke opened the door to Naruto's apartment to find him fast asleep and snoring on the couch. Sasuke thought about how he was supposed to be the one sleeping on the couch then let out a small sigh and said in a loud voice, "Dobe! If you don't wake up right now I'm taking your room."

Sasuke looked at Naruto and was slightly surprised that Naruto immediately woke up. He used to sleep through anything, ANBU had changed a lot about him. Naruto looked over at Sasuke and scrunched his eyes. Then he looked at the time. 9:53. Naruto scrunched his eyes again while looking at Sasuke. "Where have you been?!"

"Out."

Naruto got up and was ready to throw Sasuke across the room. Then he remembered that his attitude was part of the reason Sasuke had left in the first place. He regained his composure, crossed his arms, and swiveled his head up and to the side. "Fine. Don't tell me where you went then." Sasuke let out a sigh then noticed Naruto had some clothes folded on the couch. "Are those mine?"

Naruto looked over to the clothes then back to Sasuke. In a more controlled voice he replied, "Yeah, that is unless you sleep in your fighting clothes." with a sneer. Sasuke rolled his eyes then picked up the clothes and started heading towards the bathroom. He stopped short of opening the door. "Naruto, we both need to get some sleep." As he opened the door, Naruto thought about the training session he set for 6AM tomorrow and decided Sasuke was right. He left for his room before grumbling out a "Good night."

"Night."

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	15. Alliance

Ch. 15

Rain poured down over the city. As water dripped down the towering skyscrapers, it highlighted the sharp edges the city had grown accustomed to. Every flash of lightning gave the towers in the city a distinct look of power and elegance. The towers stood proud with a sharpness that could not only be seen, but somehow felt.

The man standing on the balcony of the highest tower looked out over the Hidden Rain Village with a stern look. Curiously, his face didn't show pride at the city now under his control, just pure conviction. He was around the same height as Naruto and dressed in all black combat gear. His stance communicated not only elegance, but power. The rain splashed against his face as he took in the sight of the land now under his control. As he looked out over the city, he felt a familiar presence behind him. He turned around to see a small white snake looking up at him. The snake slowly transformed into a man…..Orochimaru. The man turned back around to face the city and said in a firm, but slightly inquisitive voice, "What do you want?"

Orochimaru looked out over the city before responding, "It's time to set things into motion."

The man was silent. After a pause, he turned to Orochimaru, "Is that all?"

Orochimaru smiled and responded, "Yes...that is all…."

The man continued to look out over the city. Orochimaru gave him one last glance before saying, "You know, you don't have to look like Sasuke all the time. The disguise has served its purpose. The Rain is confident in your leadership. Even if you reveal you aren't Sasuke, they will follow you." The man paused then turned around and released his transformation jutsu.

He had piercing eyes, but they weren't as piercing as Sasuke's. His hair was strikingly similar to Kakashi's, but jet black. It was different in that it stood up straighter because his Hitai-ate wasn't dropped to cover one of his eyes. His right eye was a Sharingan and his left eye was a Rinnegan. Unlike Sasuke's Rinnegan, his Rinnegan had no tomoe.

The man turned around and simply stated, "That's not the only reason I wear his face." Orochimaru smiled, then looked at him, "Ah yes, I forgot about your infatuation with Naruto. I suppose you're hoping to lure him here with this facade…" The man stayed stoic-faced.

Orochimaru studied him, then said, "You still haven't shared your plans regarding him…"

The man did not respond. Orochimaru was slightly annoyed but decided to give the man a word of caution anyway. "Be very careful. You may be planning to lure out Naruto, but if you keep up this façade, Sasuke will be knocking at your door soon."

"I have countermeasures in place for that. As a matter of fact, I'm surprised he hasn't come here already." His tone showed that he was a calculating man, meticulously examining every possibility and preparing accordingly.

Orochimaru looked down as he put his hand on his chin and thought to himself that it was strange that Sasuke hadn't tried to put an end to this rumor.

The man said in a simple voice, "If he isn't here, the only explanation is that he's aligned with someone who's coming here…"

Orochimaru turned to him, "You think he's aligned with Konoha?"

After a short pause, the man said in a voice filled with conviction, "I know it…"

Orochimaru looked back up at the man and said, "In any case, do as I said. We strike soon."

Orochimaru turned around, then looked over his shoulder, "Make sure to get some sleep, things are about to start picking up."

The man turned and looked out over the city once more. "I'm changing some aspects of the plan. I'll confirm the details with you later."

Orochimaru gave him a glare, "Excuse me?"

The man looked over his shoulder and said in a cold voice, "You heard me." then turned back to the city.

Orochimaru paused, then hissed back, "Don't forget your place, Hikan…"

Hikan kept staring out over the city and didn't even acknowledge him.

Orochimaru made a face of suppressed anger and before long, he had turned back into that small white snake and slithered down a sewer grate.

* * *

Naruto was still asleep when he heard his alarm go off. He scrunched his face in annoyance, then turned it off. He opened an eye to glance at the clock on his nightstand. 5:00. He decided to wake up a little earlier than he usually did since him and Sasuke would both have to use the bathroom to get ready. He sat up on his bed then let out a loud yawn. He walked over to his drawer, grabbed the clothes he usually wore under his ANBU armor, then decided to check to make sure Sasuke hadn't snuck off somewhere. He headed towards his room door and as he opened it, his mouth dropped in astonishment and his eyes went into wide circles. There in the middle of his living room was Sasuke. He was meditating with his eyes closed in a sitting position and he already had on his fighting clothes. The clothes Naruto had given him to sleep in were neatly folded and resting on the couch. Naruto thought to himself, _'I swear that guy is nocturnal…' _Then he realized that he had woke up slightly earlier than necessary and had lost around 15 minutes of sleep for no reason. He scrunched up his face in annoyance then turned around and stomped into the bathroom and slammed the door. He wanted to ask Sasuke some questions, but he was too annoyed at the moment. Sasuke simply looked at the door, gave a slight grin and went back to meditating.

By 5:25 Naruto was fully dressed in his ANBU gear. He muttered a "Good morning" to Sasuke as he walked into the kitchen.

"Morning."

Naruto looked at Sasuke, and in an inquisitive voice asked, "How long have you been up?"

"Since 4."

Naruto's mouth dropped then he mumbled in a voice he meant for Sasuke to hear, "I swear you're nocturnal."

Sasuke slightly grinned as he sat in his meditating stance.

Naruto looked in Sasuke's direction again, "Did you already have breakfast?"

"Yes..…and it wasn't ramen."

Naruto's expression turned into one of restrained anger. Sasuke opened his right eye to watch then grinned. Naruto noticed that Sasuke was just bothering him for fun and calmed down a bit.

Naruto scrunched his eyes, then said, "Fine. But I'm having some." as he started to prepare some ramen. Sasuke once again grinned but kept his eyes closed.

* * *

Sakura didn't sleep much last night, but she had finally come up with a plan. She was going to properly apologize to Naruto like Sasuke suggested. She knew it wouldn't be enough to fix everything then and there, but she resolved to take the first step in repairing their relationship. She just had to figure out when. Maybe she could talk to him after the training session if he was alone. She could probably get rid of Sasuke easily enough since Naruto didn't seem to have any qualms about letting him out of his sight. She finished putting on her shoes and set out towards her door like a woman on a mission. She opened the door, and to her shock, Ino was sitting on the ground opposite the door sleeping. "Ino?!"

The blond was startled out of her sleep to find an inquisitive Sakura staring at her. "What are you doing here?"

Ino slowly stood up and looked down at her shoes before replying, "Well…when you didn't answer the door, I figured things must have went really bad between you, Naruto and Sasuke…I knew you were probably hurting really bad, and I didn't want you to feel like you were alone…so I stayed out here…"

Sakura looked in silent admiration at her old friend. After a moment she turned to Ino, "You're a true friend, Ino."

Ino looked down before responding in a far more enthusiastic voice than Sakura was expecting, "You better believe it! Who else would sleep on this roach infested floor for you?!" Sakura let out a smile before responding, "Still the same Ino." Ino let out a small smile and nodded in agreement.

"I have a training session with Naruto now, but do you think maybe we could talk sometime later tonight? We don't have any missions right now so I should be free tonight." Ino quickly shook her head in approval, "If you want, we could meet at that tempura restaurant you like. Maybe at 7:00?" Sakura nodded her head, "That would be nice." After a short pause, Sakura looked at Ino, "Well, I should probably get going. Duty calls…" Ino nodded in agreement and the two went their separate ways.

* * *

Neji, Kiba and Shino were on their way to the training ground. They were walking at a moderate pace and there was a very uncomfortable silence. Kiba decided to break it. "So…that was some fight yesterday, huh?"

Neji nodded his head in agreement and Shino simply replied, "Yes, it was."

Kiba frowned at how his comment didn't do much to break the silence, then he tried again with a much more loaded question. "What do you guys think is going on between Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke?"

There was a long pause before Neji spoke up, "I am not sure. Hinata spoke with me yesterday, and apparently, the three of them went somewhere together after we left the training ground…probably to Ichiraku's…"

Shino kept walking at the same pace, but was obviously listening. Kiba, however, couldn't hide his surprise at the statement, "No way!"

Neji nodded.

Kiba hopped onto Akamaru then turned to the two ANBU on his left. "You think they're already on good terms?"

Neji responded rather quickly, "I don't think so. From what Hinata said, it sounded like they looked like a rather broken team. Her observation was that Naruto looked like he didn't know what to do with them by his side."

Kiba turned back and looked forward before replying with a solemn "Oh…"

The three walked in silence before Shino spoke up. "We'll just have to wait and see what happens."

Neji nodded in agreement and Kiba replied in a soft voice, "Yeah, I guess so…"

* * *

_Author's Note_

I hope you guys end up liking the new character and this chapter! Let me know what you think - good or bad! Don't forget, I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	16. Teamwork

Ch. 16

Everyone from Naruto's team was now present and accounted for. This time Naruto had moved them to training ground 3. It was a slightly wooded area with an open field here and there. After everyone had exchanged greetings, Naruto turned to Neji, Kiba and Shino, "As members of this team, you all have a right to know everything that's going on." As Neji, Kiba and Shino waited in anticipation, Naruto started, "The scroll we intercepted on our mission ended up containing critical information. It was a communication between the Sound and the Rain. At first, we thought it was a regular communication, but the seal looked a little too complex for that. Upon breaking the seal, we discovered that it wasn't just any communication, it was a communication confirming a future offensive against the Leaf and/or the Sand." Neji, Kiba and Shino stood at rapt attention. "In the communication, the Rain's new leader was declared to be Sasuke." A look of confusion crossed the faces of the three shinobi. "As you can see, that is not the case. When we ran into Sasuke, he was on his way to try to clear his name. He claims he has nothing to do with this alliance."

Kiba looked at Naruto, "No details about when this offensive may take place?"

"Nope. Just confirmation that it will take place."

As the three pondered the new information, they started to piece together the events of yesterday. After a drawn out silence, Naruto decided to speak up. "Now that that's over with, let's start team training."

"We're going to have a quick sparring session." As everyone turned to Naruto, he continued, "Normal rules. If someone incapacitates you, you're out and you have to go stand over there, he motioned to the opposite side of the training ground boundary. We're going to be fighting in teams. I've tried to balance out the teams as much as possible and the environment should help with that as well. Kiba and Shino, you're Squad 1. Your diverse skill sets and experience working with each other should help you greatly. Sasuke and Sakura, you're Squad 2. Not only do you guys have experience working with each other, but your skillsets are diverse and one of your members visual prowess is unmatched. Neji, you're with me, we're Squad 3. We have your skills, your Byakugan, and my abilities as well. Any questions?"

Naruto looked around and everyone seemed to understand what was about to take place. "If there are no questions then get into position."

The three teams split up into a triangle and stood about 100 feet from each other.

As Shino and Kiba took their fighting positions, Kiba whispered to Shino, "Just like old times, huh?"

As Shino took his fighting stance he replied, "Just like old times…"

Sakura and Sasuke were now back to back. She smiled as she remembered their days on Team 7. She was taking her fighting stance when Sasuke spoke to her. "We attack Kiba and Shino first. We won't be able to take Naruto down easily and he won't let Neji go down easily. It would be a waste of our chakra to attack the strongest fighters first." Sakura thought to herself, _'There he is being a tactician again…'_

Sasuke saw Sakura looking a little unfocused. "Got it?" Sakura was knocked out of her thoughts and let out a firm "Yeah." as she took her fighting stance.

Naruto was now back to back with Neji, "If I know Sasuke, he's gonna go after the weakest links first, so Kiba and Shino are gonna be his focus. He's probably thinking we'll do the same thing."

Neji tilted his head slightly, "We aren't?"

"Nah." He let out a cheeky grin. "I'm gonna be a little unpredictable…"

Neji smiled as he saw a little of the old Naruto shine through again, "I'll follow your lead."

Naruto gave a short nod. His eyelids were now turning an orange color as he entered Sage Mode.

After everyone had taken their fighting positions, Naruto looked around to make sure everyone was ready.

"Begin!"

* * *

Sasuke and Sakura immediately dashed towards Kiba and Shino. Naruto thought to himself, _'I knew it.'_

"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Sasuke immediately stopped and looked over to see multiple shadow clones multiplying his way. His expression turned into one of annoyance as he realized Naruto was forcing everyone to focus on him…the hardest fighter to bring down. He jumped up and did a series of hand signs then fired a fireball jutsu from his mouth, dispatching around 30 of them. Naruto let out a slight grunt as the pain from the shadow clones hit him all at once. As shadow clones kept multiplying towards the different teams, Shino jumped into the trees, Kiba dropped a couple of smoke bombs and Sakura started fighting the clones head on.

Neji looked around, _'So this was Naruto's plan. I must admit, it was rather effective.'_ He couldn't even tell where the real Naruto was anymore. Suddenly one of the Narutos yelled to him. "Kiba is using smoke bombs! Use your Byakugan to give yourself an advantage!"

Neji now realized that Naruto had probably thought about a way to take down every other nin at that sparring session. He had already set Kiba up and he was probably already going after someone else. He grinned as he thought about how fortunate he was to be on Naruto's team, then he went after Kiba.

Kiba was trying to use the trees and some smoke bombs as cover, but Neji's Byakugan was too good. As Kiba was about to run past a tree, Neji dropped down from above. "Gentle fist!" He hit one of Kiba's less critical chakra points to avoid seriously injuring him. Kiba fell off Akamaru and gasped for air. Neji offered him a hand up. He reluctantly accepted it. "Caught me off guard."

"Thank my Byakugan."

Kiba nodded. "You better get back to the fight."

Neji nodded, jumped to the trees and started heading back towards the starting point of the fight.

As Kiba reached the outer boundary of the training ground, he saw that Shino was already there. Ouch… "Who took you out?" he asked inquisitively.

Shino kept watching the fight. "Naruto…He said me going to the trees was too predictable."

Kiba shook his head, "He already knew that was what we would do…"

* * *

Sakura was mowing down Naruto clones at lightning speed. She yelled out a fierce "CHAAAAA!" as she punched one into the ground.

Suddenly, Sasuke landed beside her. He looked slightly worn from having to battle all the clones. "These things are pretty tough aren't they?" He said as she punched one into the ground. She jumped and kicked a rushing clone before replying, "Yeah…They're tough alright…"

"Sakura! That's not me!"

Her head quickly swiveled to to see a shocked Sasuke about 50 feet from her.

"You're too gullible…" Naruto now had his arm around Sakura's neck. As he held her in his arms, he started admiring her pink hair and lost his focus as he thought about how things used to be between them. As he hesitated, Sakura noticed what was happening and headbutted him with the back off her head,

"OWW!"

"AND YOU'RE!" - she stepped on his foot, "TOO!" - then kicked backwards and hit him in the crotch, "NICE!" - as she elbowed him in the stomach.

As he fell back in pain, the transformation wore off and he watched as Sasuke laughed at him from about 50 feet away while still fighting off some clones. Imagine that, Sasuke of all people laughing.

"GGGRRRRR…."

Suddenly around 20 clones surrounded Sakura. All of them said at the same time, "That wasn't nice Sakura…"

A look of panic crossed Sakura's face as she realized how much trouble she was in. Right before they could jump onto her she heard Sasuke yell out, "Universal pull!" Suddenly all of the clones were flying towards Sasuke. He did a series of hand signs and then used another fireball jutsu to dispatch of them. She let out a sigh of relief. She was in the clear…..or so she thought. Suddenly Neji rushed out of a band of Naruto's clones and was right in front of her in a crouched position. "Gentle Fist!"

He hit her in the same exact spot he'd hit Kiba in. She lost her footing, but Neji caught her to soften her fall.

As she caught her breath, Neji turned to her, "You were too sure of your safety. That is why you fell."

"It's why you're about to fall as well!" Neji turned to see none other than Sasuke Uchiha. He was holding his sword right at Neji's neck. Neji sighed and put his head down as he realized he was done as well.

Sasuke turned away towards the remaining shadow clones and put his sword away. He went into a fighting stance, but, to his shock, the clones started disappearing. As Sakura and Neji reached the outer boundary with Kiba and Shino, they turned around to see all the shadow clones were gone. It was just Naruto and Sasuke.

* * *

Naruto let out a slight grin as he took his fighting stance. Sasuke grinned as well, and in a flash, the two shinobi were fighting once more.

As the two shinobi traded blows, Sasuke decided to create some distance and try some distanced attacks. He kicked off of Naruto's chest and launched about 50 feet into the air. He did a quick hand sign and started breathing multiple fireballs. Naruto continued to dodge them by using a variety of jumps and acrobatic flips.

Naruto decided he'd enlist the help of some shadow clones, but as soon as he tried to do the hand sign, he saw a kunai flying straight for his hands. He let out a grunt of annoyance as he remembered how well Sasuke knew his techniques. Sasuke then used a kunai with a string attached to grapple back down to where Naruto was.

As the two engaged in fierce hand to hand combat, Naruto decided to try to create some distance so he could try to make some shadow clones again. He jumped back and landed about 20 feet from Sasuke. He tried to quickly do the sign to create some shadow clones, but he saw another kunai heading straight for his hands. He quickly sidestepped to dodge it but decided to try to maintain his hand position. Suddenly the kunai was gone and it was Sasuke who was flying through the air in front of him. His eyes opened wide as he noticed that Sasuke had used his Rinnegan to swap places with his kunai. He had no defense because his arms were still down from trying to make the shadow clones. He found himself on the receiving end of a knee to the face. As he struggled to regain his footing, Sasuke was already rushing him. Now he was slicing away with that sword of his again.

As Naruto ducked and weaved to avoid Sasuke's sword, he got an idea. He waited for Sasuke to lunge with his sword before landing a kick to his core. Sasuke reeled back about 10 feet as he held his side. Now was Naruto's chance. He jumped back and started launching a shuriken and kunai barrage. Sasuke remembered their last fight and made sure to keep his eyes peeled. Just then he saw a tagged kunai flying towards him slightly up and to his right. _'There!'_ He thought to himself. He ducked down and squatted to avoid it, then pushed out his hands as he waited for Naruto to teleport to the kunai. The millisecond of opportunity for Naruto to teleport to Sasuke was now over and Naruto wasn't on top of him. A look of confusion crossed Sasuke's face as he used his Sharingan to look over to the tagged kunai. As he focused in on it, his eyes widened.

The tag read "EXPLOSIVE". He had been duped.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

He suddenly found himself blown about 50 feet to the side, sprawled out on the ground. Before he could make a move, Naruto put a knee on his back and pinned his arms behind his back. "….Gotcha."

They were both breathing very heavily. After a short pause, Naruto slowly got up and let go of Sasuke. As Sasuke got up, he brushed himself off. After the two caught their breath, Sasuke thought about what had just happened, then turned to Naruto, "Well played..."

Naruto let out a cheeky smile. "Thanks!"

Soon after, Sakura, Neji, Kiba and Shino reached where Naruto and Sasuke were.

Sakura looked a little concerned. "Are you guys ok?"

Kiba interjected, "Yeah, that was some fight…"

Naruto turned to Sasuke, paused, then started smiling widely. He replied in a voice that was almost ecstatic, "I'm fine! You should worry about Sasuke. He's the one who just took a bomb to the face!" Sasuke rolled his eyes and looked slightly annoyed.

As Sakura started working on healing Sasuke's injuries, Naruto kept teasing him. "So, Teme…you know I'm gonna tell Kakashi-sensei about this right."

"Make sure you also tell him about how you let your guard down and got hit in the nuts."

Neji, Kiba, Shino and Sakura all started giggling. Naruto scrunched his eyes at the jab that was just thrown at him, then crossed his arms and turned to Sakura, "That wasn't nice." She kept tending to Sasuke and said with a smirk, "You shouldn't have let your guard down." As Naruto scrunched his eyes even more, Sakura took in the sight of him acting a little bit like his old self.

She was done tending to Sasuke's injuries and had started working on Naruto's injuries. Before she could finish, Shikamaru walked over to them and looked at Naruto.

"We have new intel. The Hokage needs to speak to you and your team…now."

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	17. Effort

Ch. 17

Tsunade and Kakashi were discussing the new intel as Shikamaru brought Naruto's team into the Hokage's office. Tsunade looked up from her desk, "Good, you guys are here."

Naruto looked at a scroll resting on the table, "Is that the new intel?"

Tsunade stood up, "Yes, it is." Then she turned to Kakashi and gave him the floor.

Kakashi was sitting down and stood up before speaking. "Lets start with the basics. That scroll is from the Sand, written by Gaara himself." A look of slight shock crossed the face of the shinobi before Kakashi continued. "We recently sent word of Sasuke's innocence to the Sand."

Naruto looked at Kakashi, "What about the other lands?"

Kakashi replied, "So far, the Sand is the only one we've sent this information to. We need to keep this intel regarding Sasuke and this business between the Sound and the Rain quiet. Regardless of his actions in the war, Sasuke is still a hot topic whenever he's brought up."

Naruto looked at Sasuke, then back to Kakashi and gave a nod of understanding.

"After Gaara received our intel, he sent back this communication thanking us and provided us with some new intel."

Naruto stepped forward, "What is it?"

Kakashi replied, "In short, a mission." The 6 nin were now showing their interest. "This however, will be a complete reconnaissance mission. The mission will be performed in Deep Shadow conditions."

Sasuke now stepped forward, "Just what type of mission is this?"

Kakashi looked at Tsunade, then back to Sasuke and the team, "Gaara has a location on the intel regarding the future offensive against the Leaf and/or the Sand. The information we need is stored on the computer of the person impersonating Sasuke. You guys are going to retrieve it."

Naruto replied as he looked over at his team, "That means that we're headed to the Rain."

"Exactly…except for one thing."

The team turned to look at Kakashi. "Due to the nature of the mission, it wouldn't really help to have 6 of you on the mission. A reconnaissance mission is best carried out by a small group of ninja. Your team is currently too large at 6 members…That's why your team will consist of three members."

Naruto looked slightly exasperated as he could already see what was going on. He was being set up. Kakashi watched his reaction before finishing what he was saying. "Naruto, as the head of the team, your presence is a non-negotiable. By extension of that, Sasuke must also be present on this mission. The choice for your final team member is up to you."

Naruto eyes widened as he felt his throat tighten up. He assumed they would just put Sakura on his team since she was a medic, but they gave the choice to him. Maybe since it was a simple reconnaissance mission, there didn't necessarily have to be a medic.

Naruto turned to his right and looked at Sasuke who was now staring directly at him. He had that same blank stare, but Naruto could tell he was waiting to see which decision would be made. Would he choose Sakura, or someone else.

Sakura had already put her head down. She saw what Kakashi and Tsunade were trying to do. The only problem was it wouldn't work. Naruto was talking to her now, but it was mainly professional and they still weren't close enough for him to choose her over someone else. Not only that, she didn't have any skills that would be useful on a reconaissance mission. Neji had his Byakugan, Shino had his bugs and Kiba had his senses. On top of that, she had just kicked him in the nuts…..

Naruto felt the pressure mounting. He felt his throat start getting a little dry and thought it would be nice if he had some water. He tried to knock himself out of it, but it wasn't working. As he let out a silent gulp, he heard Kurama's voice, **"Just remember what I said kid."**

Naruto paused, then started thinking about how Kurama had told him that the only reason he was having so much trouble with Sakura was because he wasn't trying. After a few seconds of thought, a smile came to his face followed by an expression of resolution. Soon after, he entered Kurama's chamber.

He looked up to Kurama and said in a soft but firm voice, "It's gonna hurt...but I'm gonna try this time…" After a pause, he continued in a noticeably more enthusiastic voice, "And I'm not only gonna try this time, but every time after!"

There was a certain fire in his eyes, a fire of determination. Then he held out a closed fist to Kurama with a wide grin. Kurama smiled, then gave him a fist bump, **"You're gonna be ok kid." **

Kurama smiled as he thought to himself,_**'I knew he was in there somewhere…'**_

Naruto looked over to Kakashi and said in a proud voice, "I choose Sakura Haruno!" Then he turned to Sakura, gave her a thumbs up, and one of his trademark, closed eye smiles.

Sakura's head immediately flew up. She was stunned and felt the blood rush to her cheeks as he smiled at her. What happened to cause this much of a change. For once, she saw those blue eyes fill with that vibrance from when he was younger. Not only that, there was a fire in those eyes. She didn't know what it was for, but she knew it was part of the reason he looked a little like his old self. She could feel her eyes starting to water, but she resolved not to cry in front of everyone in the room.

As she finally regained her composure, she found herself at a loss for words, so she just smiled and let out a very determined nod at Naruto. Her eyes were a little watery and her cheeks were still slightly pink, but she didn't care because Naruto had chosen her.

Naruto was still hurting, but he found some comfort in Sakura's reaction. He could tell she was surprised, but that she was also happy on the inside, and that made him happy.

Kakashi smiled and looked at Tsunade, who was now smiling. He automatically knew what she was thinking – Success.

Shikamaru was smiling at the sight when he noticed Kakashi turn and give him a wink. Then he remembered that they had bet on when Naruto and Sakura would reconcile with each other. He had gotten free lunches from all the other members of the Konoha 11 and he and Kakashi were the only two left. Kakashi was off by a few months, but Shikamaru was off by a few years. All because of an unpredictable variable…Sasuke. He sighed as he thought about owing Kakashi a months worth of lunches, but he couldn't bring himself to stop smiling. The moment was just too good for that.

Neji, Kiba, and Shino also smiled as they soaked in the sight.

There was a small moment of silence before Sasuke broke in, "Good choice, Dobe." Naruto turned to Sasuke who was slightly smiling and facing forward with his eyes closed. Naruto grinned slightly and then turned to Kakashi, "So when do we leave?"

Kakashi turned to Naruto, "About that, first things first. You guys will be wearing these." Kakashi walked over to Tsunade's desk and pulled a huge briefcase out from under it. It was around the same size as a travel suitcase, but had two combination locks holding it closed. After he popped it open, he reached into it and pulled out three stealth uniforms. They were all black with strong padded armor underneath all of the vital areas of a ninjas body. He tossed one to Naruto, who quickly started to look over the it before saying in a hushed voice, "Awesome…" Kakashi smiled as he saw the old Naruto start shining through the rough exterior Naruto had been wearing the past few years. "Everything else you need is in here. From the device you'll use to secure the information to the building plans showing the location of the computer. The shoes that go with those uniforms are also in here, along with your masks, and other miscellaneous items that may be useful on this mission."

Sasuke turned to Kakashi. "Masks?"

Kakashi turned to the briefcase and picked one up. "Well we can't really have you guys on a reconnaissance mission with no masks. You guys are probably the three most famous ninja in all the known shinobi world. If anyone saw you, your cover would be blown. Nothing identifying you with Konoha or any clans either."

He threw the mask to Sasuke. "It's not that bad right?" Sasuke examined it. It was a simple black mask with a slit for the eyes. He rolled his eyes and replied in an annoyed voice, "Fine..."

Naruto smiled then turned to Sasuke, "Come on, Sasuke, it won't make you look too different from how you usually look…" A small vein formed on the side of Sasuke's head and Kakashi let out a slight chuckle. Sasuke immediately turned and looked at him. Kakashi's eyes opened a little wide as he thought of an excuse. "Uhhhh sorry. Mask jokes just get me…" He rubbed the back of his head uncomfortably, then cleared his throat as he changed the subject. "Last thing, we were hoping to get this intel as soon as possible. We don't really like being in the dark about a planned offensive against us."

Naruto turned to Kakashi, "Does that mean we leave immediately?"

Kakashi replied, "Something like that…" then turned to Sasuke.

Sasuke looked back at him, "What does that have to do with me?"

Kakashi looked a little pensive, but at the same time, inquisitive, "If I remember correctly, one of the abilities of the Rinnegan is traveling through space-time… Do you think you could teleport the team into the Land of Rain?"

All eyes were now on Sasuke. He crossed his arms and after he thought to himself for a while, he replied. "I'm only used to using my Rinnegan to travel to other dimensions. I can try to focus on traveling only in this dimension, but I'm not sure if it would work… Maybe I could quickly pass through a different dimension and return to this one..."

After he thought about it for a second, he continued, "I think that would work. The only problem is that using that technique is a huge chakra drain. If I use it too much, I temporarily end up losing my ability to do that technique, my ability to use my Mangekyo Sharingan, and some abilities of my Rinnegan." Kakashi's eyes slightly widened. He knew the technique was a chakra drain, but he didn't think that overuse would have such a detrimental effect. "Hmmmm. Do you think you could do two trips without any serious side effects. I don't want you weakened if there's an offensive against us."

Sasuke pondered for a moment then replied, "Yeah, I think I can do it." His only concern was that this would be his first time crossing through dimensions so quickly. He planned to quickly enter a different dimension, then exit near the Hidden Rain Village. He had never done that before, so it would be his greatest obstacle.

Kakashi gave a nod before replying, "Then suit up. Tsunade and I will be waiting at training ground 3. The rest of you are dismissed."

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	18. Hurt

Ch. 18

As Naruto's team left the room, he looked into the briefcase and grabbed everything Sakura would need. He walked over to her and handed them to her. "Here you go…" It still hurt to talk to her, but seeing her have such joy at the new development made it hurt a little less.

Sakura's cheeks remained a light pink as she looked down shyly and smiled before accepting them. "Thanks." Naruto gave a smiling nod, turned around and walked back over to the briefcase. Naruto put his uniform back in the briefcase, then closed it and motioned for Sasuke to follow him. "Let's get ready." Sasuke nodded and followed him out the door.

Sakura stood in the office smiling as she looked down at the uniform Naruto had just given her. Tsunade and Kakashi looked at each other, then Kakashi interrupted, "You should probably go put it on…"

Sakura was knocked out of her daze and nodded before replying with a slightly embarassed, "Yes, Sensei."

As she started walking towards the office door, she stopped short of grabbing the door handle.

She turned and looked at Kakashi and Tsunade inquisitively, "There were only three outfits in that briefcase. This one is exactly my size..." Her eyes started watering as she asked, "How did you guys know he'd pick me?..."

Kakashi immediately smiled and said, "Because we know Naruto."

After a short pause, Sakura smiled, then nodded and walked out the door.

Tsunade turned to Kakashi, "That went better than expected..."

Kakashi wore a slight grin as he replied, "I think it's because we aren't the only ones trying to help..."

* * *

Naruto and Sasuke were now changing in different stalls of the men's restroom.

"So what happened out there?"

Naruto looked up as he slipped into his uniform, "What do you mean?"

"I mean when Kakashi gave you the burden of choosing our last teammate, you looked like a fish out of water. Then you regained your composure, and chose Sakura…"

Naruto was finally in his uniform. He just needed to put on his shoes. He let out a slight sigh, "Do you remember when you went out for…"air" last night?"

Sasuke smirked at the jab thrown at him. "Yeah."

"I talked to Kurama… He basically said the only reason I was having so much trouble with Sakura was because I wasn't trying."

Sasuke was now finished changing and walked out of the stall. "So now you've decided to try to fix things?"

Naruto walked out of his stall and looked at himself in the mirror. The uniform looked sleek but somehow bulky due to the armor. It didn't feel that way though. It felt as light as a feather. After he was done examining it he replied to Sasuke, "Yeah, basically. I mean I can't change what happened, so I've just gotta try to focus on the future." The voice he replied in made it sound like he was trying to convince himself.

Sasuke had his mask in his right hand and his original fighting clothes in his left. He pondered over Naruto's words, then replied, "It looks like he was right."

Naruto kept looking at himself in the mirror as he replied, "Maybe."

Sasuke gave him a glance before asking him, "What does that mean?"

Naruto smiled but put his head down a little, "Nothing much. It just still hurts, that's all..."

Sasuke looked over to Naruto and saw that although he had taken a huge step in mending his relationship with Sakura, he was still in a lot of pain. He paused for a moment, then replied in a firm voice, "Naruto, I know it hurts, but if you could somehow find a way to push past that pain, you and Sakura could have a really great relationship."

He looked over at Naruto who was downcast but obviously paying attention before finishing his thought, "Just keep at it."

Naruto stared at himself in the mirror for a few seconds before slightly smiling and turning to Sasuke. "I knew the mountains had been good for you." Sasuke looked away and grunted before changing the subject, "Hn. Where do we put our clothes."

Naruto hadn't thought about that, so he just turned to the briefcase. "I guess we'll just put them in here until we get back." Sasuke placed his neatly folded clothes in the briefcase. They rested there with the Uchiha logo clearly visible.

Naruto put his ANBU gear on top of them and, last of all, placed his fox shaped ANBU mask on top.

* * *

As Sakura changed into her uniform she wondered what could have caused such a quick change in Naruto. She knew Sasuke was trying to help, but could he have really made that much of an impact? She didn't even get to apologize to Naruto like she had planned to.

As she started putting on her shoes, she let out a small sigh and noticed her eyes were watering. Soon after, felt tears were running down her cheeks. At first, she thought they were tears of joy, but then she realized she was feeling a little sad. She let out a slight sniffle as the tears kept running down her face. Her feelings were becoming more and more confusing to her. She was supposed to be happy… Naruto was finally starting to go back to normal, and their relationship was finally looking like it would improve. So why was she sad…

As she finished changing, she walked out of the restroom stall with the clothes she had been wearing in one hand, and her mask in the other. She looked in the mirror and wondered why she was still feeling sad when she heard a knock at the door. "Sakura, are you almost done?" Hearing Naruto say her name in a semi-affectionate way again cheered her up a bit. She felt her body relax a bit as she smiled and yelled out, "One second." She grabbed some tissues to clean herself up, but her face still looked a little off, so she decided to put her mask on now before she walked out of the restroom. Naruto and Sasuke were facing away from the restroom as she walked out.

As she walked out of the restroom, the two of them turned around. Naruto and Sasuke both noticed she already had her mask on. It was pretty obvious that some tears had been shed, but Naruto just pretended not to notice and Sasuke did the same.

Naruto opened up the briefcase and said, "You can put your clothes and shoes in here." She nodded as she placed her ANBU gear on top of the pile, followed by her shoes and ANBU mask. Naruto gave a slight smile before closing the box, then looked at the two and said, "Let's go."

* * *

Tsunade and Kakashi were standing on training ground 3 when they spotted the three shinobi in the distance. Kakashi waited for them to arrive then gave them some final instructions. "Remember, this is purely a reconnaissance mission. There shouldn't be too much activity in the Rain right now because it's still pretty early in the morning, but try not to be seen anyway. Do not engage with any enemies unless absolutely necessary. Is that understood?"

The three shinobi gave nods of understanding, then Kakashi turned to Sasuke, "Take it away."

Sasuke turned and looked at an open space, then his Rinnegan started glowing a vibrant purple. The region began to quickly warp into a different space-time and before long, a purple, swirling portal was formed.

Kakashi turned to the three nin, "Good luck." The three nodded, then Naruto entered the portal, followed by Sakura, then Sasuke.

* * *

Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke exited the portal and found themselves standing at the edge of a forest. It was raining, but not heavily. It was more like a faint drizzle. The raindrops were barely audible as they fell against the forest leaves. Naruto looked up as raindrops soaked his mask and body armor. They were definitely near their destination. He looked out into the distance and saw the distinct skyscrapers that were unique to the city. The skyscrapers stood tall and elegant with very clear-cut edges, angles, and borders. Surrounding the city was a large lake. It was definitely the Hidden Rain Village. He looked over to Sasuke and whispered, "Nice work." Sasuke turned and gave a curt nod.

As Sasuke nodded, Naruto's head slightly tilted to the side as he looked at him rather quizzically. Sasuke asked, "What is it?"

Naruto looked slightly puzzled as he replied, "Your Rinnegan…It's missing those dots that are usually there…" Sasuke turned away and looked out towards the city, "It's fine." Naruto looked at him with a little bit of concern but decided to drop the subject.

After that, Naruto turned to Sakura then back to Sasuke. He pointed to the highest tower in the city. "The information we need is in there. Just follow my lead. You guys ready?"

Sasuke and Sakura nodded in agreement. Naruto turned to face the village, "Then let's do this."

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	19. Reconnaissance?

Ch. 19

The three nin looked out across the lake surrounding the city. There was a faint mist on the lake and the fact that it was raining made it look even more ominous than it already did.

Naruto reached into his pouch and pulled out three small rebreathers. He put his rebreather on, then gave Sakura and Sasuke theirs. "These were in the briefcase." Sasuke and Sakura gave short nods as they accepted them.

There were a few guards around the lake. Naruto quickly made a couple of shadow clones and sent them off to be distractions. The clones started making small noises to attract attention to themselves. As the guards began to investigate, the three nin silently dropped into the lake and started using their chakra to propel themselves towards the city. Naruto decided to undo his clones after they were a reasonable distance away.

As they reached the other side, they let only their eyes float above the surface. The three slowly and silently got out of the water, then climbed onto a wooden dock. Naruto noticed three nin standing guard at one of the main entrances to the city, then he turned over to Sasuke and gave a nod. Sasuke nodded back, then picked up a pebble and tossed it towards the guards. The three guards immediately turned and started walking towards them. They couldn't see them due to the mist, but Sasuke could see them due to his visual prowess. As soon as the three guards were fairly close, Sasuke activated his Sharingan. The three guards looked on the dock, then looked over the water and saw exactly what Sasuke wanted them to see…Nothing. As the three guards stared out over the water, Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura were already on the rooftop of one of the lower buildings.

It was still morning, but the rain clouds made it relatively dark and easy to find cover. The three nin made sure to stick to the shadows as they headed towards the building in the center of the city.

* * *

After a few minutes of moving through the shadows, the three nin stopped on top of a building directly adjacent to the target building. Naruto looked up at the sharp building. There were many air ducts they could enter through, but he was looking for one in particular. He pulled out some building plans from his pouch. After examining the plans for a little while, he finally located the air duct he was looking for. He pointed to it and whispered to Sasuke, "There."

Sasuke nodded and stuck out his hand. His Rinnegan glowed a light purple, then the duct cover flew off the building and into his hand. The three ninja threw kunais with strings attached and used them to pull themselves up to the air duct. Naruto entered first, then Sakura, then Sasuke.

Naruto looked at the plans he was holding, then he looked back to the two, "This way." The three nin crawled through the ducts and, after making a series of twists and turns, found themselves over a large office. Naruto looked at the plans again, then said to them, "This is it."

He put the plans back into his pouch, then kept looking through the vent opening until he spied the computer. It was resting on an office desk that was uncannily clean. The only thing that looked out of place was a sword resting against the side of the desk. Naruto nodded in the direction of the desk. "That computer has the information we need." He looked through the vents to make sure no one was in the room, then slowly pushed off the grate. He made sure to catch it so it wouldn't fall to the ground, then he placed it in the air duct. He slowly used one hand to lower himself out of the grate, then when he had steadied himself, he let go and dropped silently to the ground. As Sakura and Sasuke dropped down, Naruto immediately ran to the door and pressed his ear against it to make sure no one was coming. After Sasuke dropped down, he silently ran over to Naruto. "I'll keep watch." Naruto nodded and silently ran over to Sakura who was now breaking into the computer. She kept her eyes on the computer as she whispered to Naruto, "Gaara gave us some good intel...I'm in." Naruto replied in a hushed voice, "I knew we could count on him." Sakura smiled as she plugged in a small flash drive and started searching for the information they needed.

Naruto looked at the various files on the screen. "Got anything yet?" Sakura kept working and said in a low voice, "No…but I'm close." She looked through various files and, after a few short moments, she saw one titled, "O.O." just like Gaara's intel had said. Sakura gave a slight smile, "Got it. Just one problem…..It's encrypted." Naruto turned to her, "Can you crack it?"

"Yeah, I'll just need some time."

As Sasuke kept his ear to the door, he heard footsteps coming their way. "Someone's coming." Naruto looked over to Sakura and said with an urgency in his voice. "We'll have to crack it when we get back to Konoha." Sakura nodded, then removed the flashdrive. Sasuke had already jumped into the duct as Sakura and Naruto started heading towards it. Sakura jumped in first, then Naruto.

As Naruto got ready to put the grate back on, someone walked into the office. Naruto's eyes opened wide. It was Sasuke's impersonator accompanied by another man. Sakura found herself staring at the man while Sasuke held a very fixed gaze on him. He walked over to a small bar in the office. It had a small pitcher of water on it along with a few glasses. He poured himself a glass of water and stood there for a moment. After a few moments, Sasuke whispered to Naruto, "Cover the grate." Naruto was knocked out of his daze and slowly covered the grate. Naruto turned to Sasuke and Sakura. "That was creepy..." Sakura nodded while Sasuke remained reflective, then the three nin turned around and started silently heading back the way they came.

As soon as they left, Hikan smirked, then turned around and looked directly at the grate. He took a sip of water then looked over to the other man who was in the room, "Tashisu, notify Tanto that we have intruders. Let's give them a warm welcome..." Tashisu gave a short nod and quickly left the room. Hikan walked over to his desk, then opened a drawer and pulled out a black mask. He released his transformation jutsu, then put on his mask and grabbed his sword.

* * *

Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke came out of the same grate they entered through and landed on the same rooftop they had entered from. As they dropped down into an alley, Naruto turned to Sasuke. "Get us out of here." Sasuke nodded then looked into the alley as his Rinnegan started glowing a dark purple. A portal started forming, then, out of nowhere, it just disappeared. Naruto and Sakura looked over to see Sasuke grunting in pain with his hand over his Rinnegan. Naruto and Sakura gave semi-worried glances to each other. This mission was quickly getting a lot more complicated.

Sasuke looked up and tried to form another portal only to fall to his knees in pain. "Sasuke!" As Naruto held him by the arm, Sakura quickly turned to Naruto and put her finger over her mouth, "Shhhh. No names." Naruto remembered the nature of the mission and nodded.

Sakura was more worried than Naruto, but she tried to keep a calm head, "I can try some medical ninjutsu." Naruto thought about it, then nodded, but before she could do anything, Sasuke interrupted. "That won't do much." They both turned to Sasuke with looks of confusion. Sasuke reluctantly said, "The issue is overuse. I don't have enough chakra to make a portal. I've been using my Rinnegan a lot, and on top of that, I had to use it in a way I've never used it in before for us to get here."

Sakura remained serious then turned to Naruto. He was team captain so he had to make the next call. He let out a sigh of exasperation, then turned to Sasuke, "I knew it wasn't fine…"

Sasuke couldn't really argue with him, so he just kept looking down the alley. After a few seconds of thought, Naruto asked, "What if I give you some chakra?" Sasuke thought about it for a second then replied, "That could work..." Naruto clenched his fist. It turned a bright orange then he simply touched Sasuke's shoulder. A red aura similar to the one Naruto had given the ninjas in the fourth shinobi war formed around Sasuke. Sakura looked out to the other end of the alley, "We better be quick. I'm getting a bad feeling…"

After a few seconds, the red aura disappeared then Sasuke turned to Naruto and Sakura, "My visual prowess is back." They both turned to see his Rinnegan already had the 6 tomoe that were missing before. Naruto let out a sigh of relief. He thought the mission might end up going off script, but it looked like things were starting to get back on track.

Before anything else could happen, they heard a voice from the end of the alley.

"You know, it's not every day that I find people with enough nerve to sneak into my city."

The heads of the three nin swiveled to the end of the alley. To their shock, they saw three nin standing there with swords drawn.

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura noted that they all had on masks and combat gear. The gear was similar to their own, but while two of them wore a very dark gray color, one of them was dressed in pure black. He was no doubt their leader and the most powerful in the group. He also had a Sharingan and a Rinnegan. He was definitely the Sasuke impersonator, but his eyes didn't look like Sasuke's. The three nin realized that those must be his real eyes and made sure to memorize the details.

Naruto turned his head slightly towards Sasuke and Sakura, and whispered through gritted teeth, "So much for a reconnaissance mission….."

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	20. Divulgence

Ch. 20

Hikan stepped forward, "You're coming with us."

Naruto turned to Sakura and Sasuke. "Cut and Run! No signature moves!" The three nin immediately separated. Naruto ran up the alley wall, Sakura ran out of the other end of the alley, and Sasuke dropped a smoke bomb. Hikan gave orders to the two nin accompanying him, "I'll take the one going up the wall. You two handle the others." His voice was disturbingly calm considering the situation. The two nin immediately went into pursuit. Tanto went after Sasuke, while Shinto went after Sakura.

* * *

As Sasuke tried to escape to the shadows, he was cut off by Tanto. As Tanto let out a yell of rage, the left side of his face turned a gray color, his eye turned a yellow color and his arm turned into a spiky gray mass and shot out towards Sasuke. Sasuke dodged it then thought to himself, _'It can't be…'_ As Tanto threw another punch, Sasuke dodged under it and activated his Sharingan. Soon the two shinobi were standing in a dark, red hallway. Sasuke's expression changed into one of confusion as he saw the shinobi standing on the other side. It was exactly who he thought it was…Jugo. Jugo looked across to see a confused Sasuke across the hall. As Jugo realized who he was fighting, Sasuke yelled across the hall, "Long time no see."

Jugo was stunned. He didn't expect to run into Sasuke of all people. "Sasuke…what are you doing here?..."

"I was just about to ask you the same question." Jugo stood in stunned silence for a few seconds before replying. "Orochimaru had us come here as bodyguards to your imposter. He doesn't know our true identities. We're basically a safety precaution. After you betrayed Orochimaru, he made sure to be more…cautious." Sasuke smirked before replying, "You said "our true identities". Who's the other shinobi? Suigetsu?" Jugo paused then gave a quick nod. Sasuke looked down as he started pondering the new development.

Jugo looked over to Sasuke, "It's good to see you're doing ok." Sasuke looked up to see Jugo staring at him. He replied with a brief, "Same."

After a few more seconds of thought, Sasuke turned to Jugo, "I need you to tell me everything you know about my imposter." Jugo paused and his face twisted into a pensive state before he looked up and replied. "We don't know much, but his name is Hikan. Me and Suigetsu know Orochimaru is working with him, but we don't know of any plans. The way Hikan acts, I'm not sure even Orochimaru knows what's going on half the time. He plays his cards very close to his chest…"

Sasuke continued to process the new development before turning to Jugo. "That's all you know?"

"Yeah…Sorry if I couldn't help much."

"No, you've helped more than you know. At least now we have a name…Thanks for the info." Jugo nodded, then replied, "So if you're here, your teammates..." Sasuke smirked as he turned away, "Naruto and Sakura." Jugo gave a slight smirk as he realized that him and Suigetsu never stood a chance.

Sasuke started to undo the genjutsu as he spoke to Jugo, "Keep fighting, we can't blow your cover. And Jugo…" Jugo looked over to him. "Nice seeing you again." Jugo smiled then nodded and instantly found himself back in the real world.

As Sasuke threw a punch, Jugo blocked it using his right forearm, then used his spiky left arm to punch Sasuke onto another roof. As Sasuke landed on the roof, he regained his footing and looked over to Jugo who had already jumped onto the roof, "That was a little rough…" Jugo smiled under his mask, "Gotta make it look real…" Sasuke smiled as the two started to trade blows.

* * *

Sakura was trying to avoid any contact with Suigetsu, but he was proving to be harder to lose than she thought. As she jumped across a rooftop, she noticed that Sasuke had beat his opponent and was now heading towards her and Suigetsu. She was about to drop into an alley so Sasuke could take care of Suigetsu, but then she noticed Sasuke was staring in her direction. As she looked back, she blinked and found herself in a genjutsu. She suddenly found herself in an open red field. As she tried to make sense of her surroundings, she heard a voice. "Sakura!" She turned around to see it was Sasuke who was now grabbing her shoulders. "Sasuke? What are you doi-"

"No time for that. The two people we're fighting are Jugo and Suigetsu. They're undercover, that's why that guy called them different names." Sakura immediately found herself back in the real world. She turned to her left and saw that Sasuke was already using his Sharingan on Suigetsu. Jugo must already know. After she had made sense of everything, she looked over to Sasuke and Suigetsu. After a few seconds, she saw Sasuke hit Suigetsu with a Chidori to the face. Suigetsu's body started to liquify as he flew through a few buildings before landing on a sidewalk. It was a light Chidori though. Sasuke was definitely holding back. As she joined Sasuke where he was, he turned to face the direction that Naruto and Hikan were fighting in. "I have new intel. We'll talk later. For now let's head over to Naruto, we need to get out of here." Sakura nodded and then they started heading towards where Naruto was.

* * *

Naruto kept moving through the dark alleys of the city to try to avoid combat. Hikan was trailing him using the rooftops, but he couldn't manage to get a good position to strike from. As Naruto jumped into an alley, Hikan held out his hand, "Universal Pull!" Naruto suddenly felt his body start flying towards the rooftops. He quickly used his chakra to attach his feet to one side of the alley. His upper body strength prevented his upper body from flying upwards. Naruto held his stance on the side of the alley wall despite Hikan's Universal Pull. Hikan smiled then released his Universal Pull and jumped down onto Naruto. He landed on Naruto's stomach and kicked him straight down into the alley while he planted his feet on the side of the alley. As Naruto started to recover, he tried to do the hand sign for a shadow clone jutsu. Hikan immediately stretched out his hand and used his Rinnegan to push a trash can into Naruto. Naruto was taken aback as he thought about what had just happened. He had no time to perform the shadow clone jutsu as Hikan immediately started to exchange blows with him. Naruto got caught off guard by the sudden change in fighting style but was able to adapt pretty well. As Naruto ducked under a kick, he decided to try to create some distance to escape by running up the alley wall. As soon as he was halfway up, he heard another "Universal Pull!". He tried to stick to the wall again only to have the bricks under his feet fly off the side of the building. As he came crashing down into some garbage bags, Hikan rushed him with his sword out. Naruto gave a face of exasperation as he thought to himself, _'Man, this guy just won't quit…'_ As Hikan started to make a move, he heard a voice from the end of the alley. "Almighty Push!" Before he could turn around, he felt a strong force pick him up and push him halfway across the city.

Naruto watched him fly through a series of building then gave a sigh of relief as he saw Sasuke and Sakura standing at the edge of the alley. "Thanks." Sasuke quickly replied, "You're welcome. We need to get out of here before he comes back. We have new intel." Naruto nodded and Sasuke used his Rinnegan to open a portal back to Konoha. The three nin wasted no time jumping through.

* * *

Hikan brushed himself off before jumping onto a nearby rooftop. As he looked in the direction of the escaping nin, he was met by Jugo and Suigetsu who looked considerably beat up. Jugo turned to him as they looked in the direction of the escaping nin, "Aren't we going to follow them?"

Hikan kept looking into the distance as he smiled then replied with what looked like glint of pride, "No...First of all, we probably wouldn't catch them, but secondly...having information isn't the same as having answers…" Jugo and Suigetsu cast confused glances at each other. Hikan smirked then turned around and started heading back towards the main building. He motioned to the rubble caused by his fall as he started walking away. "Take care of this." Then he looked over to the buildings Suigetsu had been punched through, "And that." Jugo and Suigetsu gave short nods as Hikan walked away.

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	21. Deception

Ch. 21

Kakashi was laying on the branch of a tree reading Ichi Ichi Paradise as he waited for Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura to return. He saw a purple portal start forming out of the corner of his eye and looked down to his left into the open field. After a few seconds, he saw Naruto come out of the portal, then Sakura, then Sasuke. He closed his book and put it in his pouch then jumped down. As he walked towards them he spoke in a relatively relaxed voice, "I trust the mission was a success?" Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura removed their masks before Naruto replied, "Yeah, and I think we got more intel than we bargained for." Naruto tilted his head towards Sasuke. Kakashi turned to Sasuke and let out an inquisitive, "Oh…" Sasuke still looked like he was thinking about the information but nodded in agreement.

Kakashi looked at their uniforms which looked slightly beat up. "Soooo… I'm guessing everything didn't go exactly as planned." Naruto smirked then nodded. "We ran into Sasuke's impersonator..." Kakashi's eyes widened at the news. After a short pause, he put his hand on his chin. "We need to talk to Tsunade…" The three nin nooded in agreement, then the four started heading towards the Hokage's office.

* * *

Tsunade looked up as she heard a knock on her office door. "Come in." She was hoping it was Team 7 and smirked as they walked in and proved her suspicions to be correct. "Did you guys get the intel?" Sasuke spoke up, "That and then some."

Tsunade intertwined her fingers as she waited for the new intel. Sasuke crossed his arms as he started, "When we got to the Hidden Rain Village, the mission went smoothly. We had successfully retrieved the information, but upon trying to leave, we found out that my Rinnegan was exhausted." Kakashi slightly squinted his eyes at the news. He knew that using Sasuke's Space-Time Dojutsu was a risky move, but he didn't think it would almost derail their mission. Sasuke was watching his reaction and made sure to address his concern, "Don't worry Kakashi, Naruto gave me some chakra and my visual prowess returned. Unfortunately, that small delay was all it took for us to be spotted."

Tsunade looked over to Kakashi then back to the three. "Do you guys think he identified any of you?" Sakura shook her head no while Sasuke stood with a blank stare. Kakashi turned to him, "Sasuke?..." Sasuke smirked then looked over to Kakashi, "I used my Rinnegan to get rid of him...That might have given away my identity." Kakashi dropped his head as he realized that Sasuke had purposefully let his impersonator know that he was on his radar. Tsunade sighed then turned to Naruto who stood pensive. Tsunade looked over to Naruto, "Naruto?..." After a few seconds, Naruto responded, "I can't be sure, but when I was fighting Sasuke's impersonator, I tried to make some shadow clones so I could lose him… He immediately used his Rinnegan to push a garbage can into my hands so I couldn't do the hand sign. It was almost like he was ready to stop any attempts on my part to make any clones. But how would he know to stop me from making clones? It was my first time fighting him… The only other person I've fought who's ever responded that quickly-"

Sasuke interrupted, "Is me…" Sasuke looked down and fell into a more pensive state than Naruto.

Sakura looked down as she thought to herself. After a few seconds, she said, "Well he did have a Sharingan."

Tsunade and Kakashi quickly looked over to Sakura. Kakashi asked in a voice that showed his slight shock, "He had a Sharingan?"

Sasuke interjected before Sakura could reply, "And a Rinnegan…"

Tsunade stood up and her head quickly swiveled to Sasuke. "What?!"

Naruto nodded, then said, "Yeah, he was wearing a mask, but we could see his eyes. His right eye was a Sharingan and his left eye was a Rinnegan." Kakashi put a hand on his chin as he considered the new information.

After a few moments, Naruto continued, "I still don't think that's why he responded the way he did though… When I tried to make the shadow clones, I could see his eyes. As soon as I started to make the sign, it looked like he realized that was what I was trying to do. Like he somehow knew how dangerous it would be to let me make any clones..."

After a moment of silence, Sasuke spoke up, "He most likely knew who you were. It's probably not a coincidence that he went after you personally….." He let out a small sigh of exasperation, "which means he probably knows I'm aligned with Konoha..."

As the five pondered the information, Sasuke decided to reveal the rest of the intel. "His name is Hikan and he's working with Orochimaru." All four heads swiveled to Sasuke before he continued, "When we were spotted, we fought Hikan and two other shinobi. I was fighting one of them when I noticed the left side of his body transform and his left eye change color. The transformation looked familiar, so I used my Sharingan. It was Jugo." Looks of shock crossed the faces of Naruto, Kakashi and Tsunade.

Naruto turned to Sasuke, "But that's not what Hikan called him." Sasuke replied, "Jugo gave me some intel. They're undercover. After I turned on Orochimaru, Jugo said he started taking certain precautions. So they're basically his backup plan for if Hikan turns on him." Naruto slowly nodded as he took in the information. Kakashi and Tsunade looked at each other as they processed the new development. Naruto turned back to Sasuke, "So the other shinobi?" Sasuke replied, "Suigetsu. They let us take them down…not that we wouldn't have been able to." Naruto nodded as he started to process the information.

After a few moments of silence, Kakashi turned to the three, "Any other interesting developments?" Naruto looked to the other two, "I don't think so." Sasuke and Sakura nodded in agreement.

Kakashi turned to Tsunade, "If that's the case, let's go over the intel you guys got from that computer." Sakura reached into her pouch and pulled out the flash drive, "It's encrypted, but it shouldn't take too long to crack." Tsunade had a laptop resting on her desk. She moved from behind the desk before motioning for Sakura to get to work.

Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke turned to leave as Sakura sat behind the desk and started working. Before they left, Kakashi turned to Tsunade, "Let us know as soon as she's done." Tsunade smiled, "Careful Kakashi, you almost sound like you're the Hokage." Kakashi wore his usual blank expression before replying in a monotone voice, "Not my style." Tsunade smirked as the three left her office.

* * *

Hikan sat on a rock at the edge of a forest with his sword resting against the side of the rock. His demeanor was calm and patient, but calculating. As he looked out into the open field, he heard a noise and turned around to see a man slowly walk out of the forest…Orochimaru. He was accompanied by Jugo and Suigetsu. Hikan stood up very quickly and said in an enthusiatic voice, "The man I've been waiting for!"

Orochimaru was taken aback by his enthusiatic welcome. Hikan was many things, but he was NEVER enthusiastic. Orochimaru studied him, then said, "The shinobi I gave you said you wanted to see me."

Hikan smiled as he stepped towards his sword, "Yeah, I did…"

Orochimaru slightly squinted his eyes as he asked, "What's this about?...I'm a busy man."

Hikan smiled as he picked up his sword and started to unsheath it. He continued in a matter of factly type voice, "Not for much longer… I'm afraid our partnership is going to have to come to an abrupt end."

Orochimaru smiled as he turned to his left and looked at Jugo, then to his right at Suigetsu. "Is that little bit of swordplay meant to imply that you're planning on killing me."

Hikan held his sword up straight and ran his finger along the side of it, "You're more perceptive than I gave you credit for..."

Orochimaru smiled as he replied, "What instigated this "abrupt" change?"

Hikan started to hold his sword in a more combative stance, "Let's just say certain events are about to take place. To put it briefly, I have a plan…and you're not in it."

Orochimaru chuckled to himself in a way that showed he was laughing at Hikan's audacity. "Hikan, you don't even have enough power to kill Naruto yet. You still need me, although that ship has sailed due to this little stunt. On top of that, did you really think I would leave myself so open to a betrayal... Jugo. Suigetsu."

Jugo and Suigetsu removed their masks as they prepared for battle. Jugo's left side started changing color while Suigetsu reached towards his back and pulled out his Executioner's Blade from under his robe.

Hikan started laughing to himself before replying to Orochimaru, "Come on, Orochimaru. Those two shinobi you "gave" to me, I knew they couldn't be trusted." He turned serious as he continued, "You've never been the giving type. Not unless you're getting something in return that is. And regarding Naruto, I never said I wanted to kill him…I have different plans for him..."

Orochimaru's face suddenly grew serious as he hissed, "What does that mean?"

Hikan smiled as he took his fighting stance. "I'm afraid you're not going to live long enough to find out…"

Orochimaru's right arm changed into a band of six snakes, "I told you to remember your place Hikan! I made you all that you are and I gave you those eyes you so proudly wear! You're nothing without me!"

As Hikan got ready to make the first move, the smile he was wearing slowly faded from his face as his expression turned into one of disgust, "You see, that's the problem Orochimaru. Ever since the day you gave me these eyes, you thought you owned me. Ever since then, you've been trying to force me to live in your shadow…now you're gonna die in mine's..."

* * *

As the tension grew, all four shinobi stood at attention and in a split second, Hikan was on the move.

As he started dashing towards the three shinobi, the band of snakes lurched from Orochimaru's right arm and started violently heading towards Hikan. Hikan used his Sharingan to dodge them with ease, then did a series of hand signs and spit out fire onto them. Three of them got caught and burned while the other three returned to Orochimaru's side. Orochimaru let out an annoyed grunt as he wondered what other jutsu Hikan had picked up using his Sharingan.

Hikan smirked then outstretched his left arm, "Universal Pull!" Orochimaru grounded himself by turning his other arm into snakes and having them dig into the ground. He tilted his head to the side in confusion as he noticed there was no force pulling him. He turned to his right and saw none other than Suigetsu flying towards Hikan. Orochimaru grunted as he realized Hikan was going after his backup. Orochimaru quickly used the snakes on his right arm to grab hold of Suigetsu.

Hikan smiled then pointed his sword towards Suigetsu and funneled lightning through it. The lighting extended straight through Suigetsu. As the lightning hit Suigetsu, he let out a grunt of pain and slowly started to liquify. Orochimaru gritted his teeth in annoyance because he was also being electrocuted due to his snakes being wrapped around Suigetsu. After Suigetsu had fully liquified, Orochimaru detached the electrocuted snakes from his body. The snakes fell to the ground as they twitched from the electricity.

Hikan looked over to Suigetsu's now liquified body, "Downside of being a mole… I know you're weaknesses…"

Orochimaru clenched his jaw in annoyance. Then whispered to Jugo, "Get out of here." Jugo turned to Orochimaru in shock then whispered back, "But he'll kill you!" Orochimaru squinted his eyes, "And if you stay here he'll kill you too. I know what I'm doing. Now go…" Jugo paused for a second, then started running towards the forest.

Hikan watched with a blank expression as Jugo left. "Huh. Guess being a snake in the grass comes back to bite you real hard." Orochimaru let out a slight chuckle, "You have no idea." As soon as he finished his sentence, he opened his mouth wide and hundreds of snakes started rushing towards Hikan. As the snakes slithered towards Hikan, their mouths opened wide and swords started protruding from them. Hikan held his sword steady, then proceeded to use his sword in conjunction with his Sharingan to mow down the snakes.

As Orochimaru started planning his next move, he felt something sharp pierce his chest from behind. All at once, the snakes stopped moving. Orochimaru's eyes widened as he started coughing out blood. He turned around to see Hikan standing there holding the lightning enhanced sword that had just impaled him. Hikan let go of the sword as Orochimaru reeled back and fell to the ground in pain. Orochimaru looked over to the Hikan that his snakes had been rushing towards only to see it disappear. It was a shadow clone.

Hikan kneeled down on one knee by the dying Orochimaru. "You know, Orochimaru, I could've killed you so much quicker than this…but I think it's fitting that you die with a strike from behind. Now you'll die just like the snake you are…"

After a few moments, Orochimaru coughed up one last bit of blood, then his head fell back on the grass of the open field.

Orochimaru was dead.

Hikan stood up then removed his sword from Orochimaru's body and sheathed it. He then turned around and picked up Orochimaru's body. He turned to where the Executioner's Blade and Suigetsu's liquified body had been only to see that it was no longer there. He remained unfazed and simply walked into the forest.

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	22. Lying

Ch. 22

As the three stood outside the Hokage's office, Kakashi made sure to pay attention to Naruto and Sasuke. He was hoping that some progress had been made in the department of putting Team 7 back together. He glanced at Sasuke who looked to be his usual pensive self, but as he looked at Naruto, he noticed that he seemed slightly dejected. He was expecting Naruto to be a little happy, but instead, he looked like he was thinking about something…something that was very hard to deal with. Kakashi squinted his eyes as he realized that Naruto was probably thinking about his relationship with Sakura.

Naruto turned and caught Kakashi looking at him and decided he better try to find something to do. Anything was better than having Kakashi examine him. He looked on the ground and saw the briefcase that had their clothes. He had left it outside the Hokage's office before they went on their mission.

He turned to Kakashi, "So now that this reconnaissance mission is over, can we change back into our regular clothes?" Kakashi replied, "I don't see why not…" Naruto grabbed the briefcase and motioned for Sasuke to follow him. Sasuke nodded and started walking with him towards the men's restroom.

Kakashi squinted his eyes at them as they left. He thought things were looking better after what had happened earlier. It looked like Naruto had started going back to his normal self, but now something had changed. Kakashi couldn't put his finger on it, but something was definitely off. He didn't see any of that anger or closed-off attitude Naruto had exhibited over the past few years. Instead, it looked like he was just in emotional pain. Kakashi let out a sigh as he realized that Naruto's problem wasn't gone but was instead changing.

He found himself wondering if something had happened on the mission that the three nin left out of the mission report. Maybe he'd ask Sasuke later.

* * *

As Naruto and Sasuke were changing, Sasuke spoke in a slightly inquisitive voice, "What's bothering you?"

Naruto dropped his eyes. He was trying to escape from Kakashi, but now he had to deal with Sasuke. He spoke through his stall in a voice that didn't hide his annoyance, "I'm fine..."

As Sasuke put on his shoes, he replied with a simple, "Ok."

Sasuke's short reply left Naruto a little confused. He was used to Sasuke's one word retorts, but that was a little easier than he thought it would be. He thought Sasuke would keep pushing for information like he did when he had first arrived, but instead he just backed off.

After Sasuke's reply, there was an awkward silence between the two.

After a few seconds had passed, Naruto found himself feeling a little bad for shutting Sasuke down, especially since Sasuke had just let himself be shut down.

Naruto let out an audible sigh, then spoke as he walked out of his stall, "I'm just thinking about things…"

As Sasuke walked out of his stall, he replied, "Things related to the mission we just completed, or things related to Sakura?"

Naruto smiled and shook his head. He knew Sasuke already knew the answer. "Sometimes I hate you, Teme." Sasuke let out a small smirk before replying, "So what's on your mind?"

The two shinobi were now fully dressed and were standing in front of the sinks. Naruto looked down into the sink, then up into the mirror. "I thought that I could fix things with her if I just tried hard enough…but it isn't working…"

After a short pause, he continued, "I tried to push past the pain, to put on a smile... but the more I smile at her, the more it reminds me of why I stopped. And when I try to get closer to her, it just reminds me of why I distanced myself from her..."

Sasuke slowly gave an understanding nod. After a few seconds of looking over at Naruto, he realized that Naruto still wasn't ready to let what had happened go.

After a few seconds of silence, Sasuke let out a small sigh and turned to Naruto, "If that's the case, then don't work on that right now."

Naruto's eyes slightly widened at that. He thought that everyone, especially Sasuke, had been pushing for him to fix his relationship with Sakura. Now Sasuke was backing off of that idea.

Sasuke continued, "As comrades, you guys have to at least get along, so try to focus on that. Maybe someday, you'll be able to forgive her, maybe not. But whatever happens, you can't really be enemies with her. You guys work together."

As Naruto looked down into the sink, he thought about what Sasuke had said. After a few more seconds of thought, he lifted his head to look at himself in the mirror. Sasuke watched him and noticed there was a certain determination in his eyes, like he had resolved to do something.

Sasuke asked in a semi-inquisitive voice, "What is it?"

Naruto paused for a moment, then said in a serious voice, "I'm gonna talk to Sakura…" After a short pause, he continued, "I can tell that she thinks things are just gonna eventually go back to how they used to be... I can't let her keep thinking that."

Sasuke paused, then gave a nod of understanding. As the silence dragged on, he turned to Naruto. "So, we gonna talk in here all day?" Naruto smiled then walked out of the restroom with Sasuke following him.

As Naruto started to walk in the direction of the Hokage's office, he noticed Sasuke wasn't moving. He looked like he was thinking about something. "What's up?"

Sasuke looked pensive for a second before replying, "I'm gonna go meditate. That new intel could turn into a mission, we need to be ready."

Naruto nodded, then paused for a second and said, "You should probably eat something too, you know."

Sasuke slightly shook his head and said in a monotone voice, "I'm fine."

Naruto gave a slight chuckle, then looked over to Sasuke. "Separating could be risky. You're still supposed to be accompanied by me at all times..."

Sasuke wore his usual blank expression, "There's an easy way around that. Just make a shadow clone and use a transformation jutsu."

Naruto squinted his eyes as he thought about it. It actually wasn't a bad idea. After a few more seconds of thought, he replied, "Ok. That could work."

He looked both ways then did the hand sign for a shadow clone jutsu. After the shadow clone was created, he used the transformation jutsu to turn the clone into Sasuke.

Naruto looked over to Sasuke, "I need to know where you'll be so I can call you if the decryption finishes." Sasuke thought to himself for a second then said, "I'll head over to the Hokage monument. That should be a quiet place." Naruto nodded then said, "See ya later." Sasuke nodded then started walking in the other direction.

* * *

Sakura had recently finished setting up the decryption program to break the encryption. She turned to Tsunade who was sitting in a chair across the room, "This is gonna take longer than I thought. The first encryption was easy to break, but file's been encrypted multiple times." Tsunade looked down pensively before asking, "How long do you think it'll take?" Sakura stared at the screen for a little while, then replied, "A few hours at the least."

Tsunade looked over to a clock that was on the wall. 10:07 AM. She turned to Sakura. "When do you think it'll be done?" Sakura looked over to the clock as she replied, "Maybe around 1:00 PM…" Tsunade paused, then nodded and stood up. "Are you actually actively doing anything?" Sakura replied, "Nothing much. The program is doing most of the work."

Tsunade thought for a second, then turned to Sakura. She noticed she looked a little out of it so she decided to take over the decryption process. "If that's the case, I'll take over here and let you and the others know when it's done. We don't know what intel we're gonna find, so make sure to eat something and try to rest up. We don't know if this new intel is gonna result in another mission." Sakura stood up, then nodded in agreement.

Before she could leave, Tsunade asked her, "So how are you doing?" Sakura looked a little taken aback, but managed to smile and said, "I'm fine." Tsunade paused to look at Sakura, then gave a small smile before replying, "No you're not..." Sakura's smile slowly faded.

After a short pause, Tsunade said in a gentle voice, "It hurts doesn't it?" Sakura kept looking down but said in a soft voice, "What?"

"When that forgiveness you were looking so hard for seems to have finally been given, but the pain doesn't go away…" Sakura let out a slow sigh and nodded before saying in a barely audible voice, "I don't know what to do…"

Tsunade looked at Sakura with a gaze of understanding before replying in a soft voice. "Sakura. You have to start by doing the hardest thing… You have to forgive yourself."

A small tear formed under Sakura's eye as she continued to stare at the ground thinking about what Tsunade had just said. As Tsunade stared at Sakura, she found herself empathizing with her and said in a warm voice, "I believe in you, Sakura. You're a good person, you've just made some bad choices... With time, I know you'll find a way to make things right..."

After a few moments, Tsunade noticed the tears that had formed at Sakura's eyes and decided to lighten the mood. "Remember, I'm a lot older than I look, kid…" She paused, then smiled and said in a jovial voice, "Now get out of here…"

Sakura lifted her head, then smiled and gave Tsunade a nod as she turned to leave.

* * *

As Sakura walked out the door, she closed it behind her and saw Naruto and Sasuke walking towards the office. She was thinking about heading back to her apartment to grab something to eat and get a little rest, but she saw the briefcase in Naruto's hands and noticed she was still wearing her uniform. As Naruto and Sasuke reached where she was, she said in a humorous voice, "Uniforms were uncomfortable?"

Naruto managed a small smile. "No, just didn't need them anymore…"

Sakura thought for a little, then replied, "Yeah, I'm gonna change back into my usual outfit too…" After a short pause she continued, "Where are you guys headed?" Naruto scratched the back of his head and let out an uncomfortable chuckle. "This actually isn't Sasuke. It's a clone I used a transformation jutsu on. The real Sasuke is probably meditating right now…" He did the shadow clone hand sign, and then the clone disappeared.

Sakura's eyes widened at the news. After a moment of stunned silence, she managed to ask Naruto, "So where are you headed?..." Naruto looked up towards the ceiling as he started thinking to himself, "I'm not sure yet…"

After a little while, Sakura motioned to the briefcase he was holding and said, "I'm gonna need that…" Naruto looked down before replying, "Yeah. I almost forgot that this was the whole reason I came back here…" He paused, then spoke in a soft but firm voice, "There's just one thing I have to talk to you about first…"

Sakura silently gulped. She was hoping to have some time to think about how to fix things with their relationship, but now it looked like Naruto was broaching the subject.

Naruto slightly dropped his head as he began, "Do you remember when you said you loved me?..."

A slight blush crept up to Sakura's face as she replied, "Yeah…"

Naruto kept looking down, "Do you remember what I told you?..."

Sakura didn't have to think for long before she dropped her head and replied in a soft voice, "You told me you hated people who lied to themselves..."

Naruto slowly nodded, and after a short pause, he continued, "That's what I've been doing…" Sakura slowly looked up into his eyes. As their eyes met, she saw that same pain she had been seeing for the past few years. No vibrant blue. No joy. The only thing there was the pain that she had caused, and it made her sick to her stomach.

Naruto looked away as he continued. "I told myself that if I just tried hard enough, things could go back to how they were between us…but I was lying to myself..." He paused then looked back to her. "No matter how hard I try, I can't just let what happened go… I can't."

Sakura found herself tearing up at the sight of a broken Naruto. It was her fault he was like this and there was nothing she could do about it. She wiped away a tear before replying with a soft, "Ok…" She didn't really know what more she could say. He was obviously still hurting and couldn't move past her betrayal. She had to accept the consequences that her choice had brought to her.

After a moment of silence, Naruto nodded then said in a soft voice, "Thanks for understanding…" Sakura slowly nodded. After a short moment of silence, Naruto put down the briefcase by Sakura and said, "I better get going..." Sakura slowly nodded as he started walking away. And just like that, she felt her hopes of fixing her and Naruto's relationship start to fade.

Naruto felt a little bad while he was walking away. He knew that Sakura was probably in a world of pain right now, but he was confident that he had done what needed to be done. He wasn't going to lie to himself anymore and he couldn't just let Sakura think everything was ok.

* * *

_Author's Note_

***Please let me know what you thought of the new chapter!***

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	23. Diplomat

Ch. 23

As Sasuke sat cross-legged with his eyes closed on the head of the 3rd Hokage, he felt a familiar presence behind him. "I hope you don't plan on making a habit of stalking me Kakashi."

Kakashi smiled under his mask as he kept reading from his book. "Don't worry, I won't. I just need some information, then I'll be out of your hair." Sasuke kept his eyes closed and let out a semi-annoyed sigh before standing up and turning to Kakashi. "What is it?"

Kakashi decided to cut straight to the point. "Did something happen on the mission? Something between Naruto and Sakura. Naruto seemed a little off." Sasuke smirked. "You're off the mark, Kakashi. Naruto was a little off..." Sasuke looked out over Konoha before he continued. "...but not for the reason you think." After a short pause, Sasuke continued. "As a matter of fact, I think it was our fault..."

Kakashi lifted his head from his book to examine Sasuke, then asked, "How so?"

Sasuke continued to look out over Konoha as he responded, "I think we tried to help him fix things a little too…" Sasuke paused and smirked as he thought of a fitting word. "vehemently..."

Kakashi looked out over Konoha as he thought about what Sasuke said. As he was thinking to himself, Sasuke continued, "We weren't the only ones trying to help him..." Kakashi turned to Sasuke who was still looking out over Konoha. "Before we went on our mission, he told me Kurama had spoken to him as well."

Kakashi was a little surprised at the new development. He knew that Naruto and Kurama had become friends during the war, but for him to also be involved in something this sensitive was a bit of a shock. They must be closer than he originally thought. Kakashi put one hand on his chin as he put his book in his pouch.

Sasuke wore a contemplative expression as he continued. "When all of us kept trying to help him fix their relationship, we pushed him into trying to forgive her, and I just don't think he was ready to. I think he really wanted to forgive her... As a matter of fact, I think he still wants to forgive her... but he's just not ready to right now... He can't just let it go..." Sasuke looked a little pensive, then continued after a short pause, "Unfortunately, I don't think we can do anything to change that."

After a few moments of silence between the two, Sasuke continued. "He actually said he'd talk to her to make sure she knew where they stood. For now, he can only be comrades with her, nothing more."

Kakashi dropped his head and let out a short sigh. He didn't want things to be the way they were, but he understood why things were the way they were.

After a long pause, Kakashi turned back to Sasuke, "Well, at least now I get why he was a little off."

Sasuke smirked as he sat back down, then said, "Good, now you can stop stalking me."

Kakashi smiled under his mask then said, "One last thing." Sasuke shook his head a little before Kakashi continued. "What about you?... Have you considered coming back to the village?"

Sasuke looked out over Konoha before replying. "I'm fine, and I already told you this village isn't on my path. As soon as we've dealt with Hikan, I'm leaving."

Kakashi looked at the Uchiha with a bit of pity. He could tell he wanted to return, but his inability to let go of what could have been along with his guilt for his past crimes were keeping him from coming back.

Kakashi turned around to leave before saying, "Sasuke, you can't just keep living the way you're living. Moving from mountain to mountain with no real home."

Sasuke sat silent for a few seconds, then replied in a silent, solemn voice as he looked out over Konoha, "Maybe not… But it's fun trying…"

Kakashi looked back at him and realized that every single member of Team 7 had issues…MAJOR issues. And it didn't seem like he could help with any of them. He let out a small sigh, then disappeared in a puff of smoke.

* * *

Hikan stood in the center of his office. He was standing in front of a camera with a coffin to his right. After a few seconds, the man operating the camera gave a thumbs up and said, "We're live in 3, 2, 1."

Hikan looked into the camera with a solemn expression. "Good morning, citizens of Amegakure."

He was now on every TV across the rain-drenched land. Citizens stopped in the streets to look up at the new face. He was wearing his standard all black combat gear, but he wasn't wearing a mask. His Rinnegan and his Sharingan were clearly visible for all to see.

After a short pause, Hikan continued, "My name is Hikan, and I am a former aid to the one we called Sasuke Uchiha." There were slight murmurs among the people in the village before Hikan continued. "I wish I could be greeting you all under better circumstances, but unfortunately that isn't the case." He paused then let out a small sigh and continued, "I'm going to cut straight to the point. I know that we have all been rallying behind Sasuke Uchiha. After the death of Pain, our village has barely limped on with no real leadership. That all changed with the arrival of Sasuke. We committed ourselves to following him as he promised to lead us into a new era of prosperity where we would crush all who dared to oppose us. He claimed to be able to protect us from all harm, no matter where it came from."

He slightly tilted his body towards the coffin on his right as he continued, "My brothers and sisters, I'm afraid that we've all been deceived. Sasuke Uchiha was being impersonated, by none other than this man." He raised his right hand towards the coffin and opened it as he said in a disgusted voice, "Orochimaru."

Orochimaru's dead body caused gasps to pour across the city as people began to murmur at the new development. As the dissension started to grow in the city streets, Hikan raised a hand to try to calm the people down before he continued. "I know this comes as a shock to us all. As his assistant, I had more access to him than most. It was due to this fact, that I was able to catch Orochimaru releasing the transformation jutsu he had been using to deceive us all."

The people continued to murmur among themselves as Hikan continued. "He tried to lie his way out of it, but as soon as I saw that pale white skin of his, I knew he'd been deceiving us like the snake he was. Fortunately, his shock at being caught gave me the ability to catch him off guard. I managed to kill him with a strike from behind." He motioned towards where he had stabbed Orochimaru showing the deep gash.

"The eyes you now see me with were the same eyes Orochimaru used to deceive us. That is why he was able to display some of the same abilities as Sasuke Uchiha. After he was dead, I transplanted the Sharingan and the Rinnegan he was using to deceive us into my eyes."

He raised his right hand and slowly closed the coffin.

After a moment of silence, he continued. "Now that you know the truth, I place before you two choices... If you, the people, will accept me, I will step up as our new leader. I promise you that through my leadership, the Hidden Rain Village will once again return to it's prime... We will return to the time long before the war. A time when we were respected, feared, and honored... We will once again train our shinobi to their fullest potential... because peace is no reason to grow weak." He paused then continued in a grave voice, "And because sometimes, peace... isn't an option."

After a short pause, he continued in a more optimistic voice. "But I will only do these things if you, the people of Ame, allow me to. If not, then I will step down and our village will continue to limp along with no real leadership, but if you want all of the things I just spoke of. If you want Amegakure to be a great village again, then elect me to be your leader, because I am the answer..."

After a drawn out silence, one citizen yelled out, "Elect Hikan!" As he said it a second time, a few more people joined in, "Elect Hikan!" By the third chant, a quarter of the city had joined in, "Elect Hikan!" Over half of the city was yelling by the fourth cry, and by the fifth cry, Hikan had nearly unanimous approval from the village.

As the people continued to yell for his election, Hikan gave a diplomatic smile then raised a hand for them to stop. After a few moments, the chanting managed to come to a complete stop. Hikan spoke in a soft voice as he opened his arms in an accepting gesture, "You…the people…have spoken." As he continued, he spoke in a firm voice. "As of now, I PROUDLY assume the role of Leader of Amegakure."

As soon as he finished his sentence, the people began to cheer and shout. Hikan let out another diplomatic smile and waited for the people to calm down. After a few moments of cheering their new leader, Hikan once again raised his hand to quiet them down. He continued to wear his diplomatic smile as he spoke into the camera. "It brings me great joy to now be the leader of this magnificent city. You, the people, have elected me with your mouths, but now you must elect me officially. I will prepare a decree making my leadership official. The decree will be sent out this evening and will simply ask if you are for or against my election. We already know the answer, but these things must be done." He smiled, then closed his right hand into a fist and held his arm out in a way that conveyed power before saying, "To a better Amegakure!"

The crowds started cheering and replied with an enthusiastic, "To a better Amegakure!"

Hikan gave one last diplomatic smile, then walked away from the camera waving. The crowds cheered until he was gone, then the TVs went back to the programs they were originally on. The village was now in a buzz after hearing they had a leader who shared their dreams for the future of Amegakure.

Hikan turned to two assistants that were standing in the office and motioned over to Orochimaru's coffin with a look of disgust. "Get that thing out of my sight." The two nodded, then proceeded to carry the coffin out of the room.

Hikan was now standing in the room with the camera man and one other assistant. The camera man was gathering his equipment to leave, but the assistant wasn't particularly busy. Hikan turned to him and said in a confident voice, "Tashisu, you served loyally when Orochimaru was impersonating Sasuke, now I want you to serve as my secretary." The mans eyes slightly widened, and after a short pause he replied in an enthusiastic voice. "I'd be honored."

Hikan smiled, then said, "Good, first things first, we need to start working on the decree I mentioned. The people need to know that they officially have a leader. It'll be good for their morale." The man smiled then said, "Then lets start working on it." Hikan smirked as he said, "Yes… but first…" He walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a bottle of Sake. "A toast." He grabbed two wine glasses and proceeded to pour some Sake for himself and Tashisu. "To a better Amegakure!" Tashisu smiled and replied in a voice that matched Hikan's enthusiasm. "To a better Amegakure!"

As Hikan drank from his glass, he wore a slight smirk. He now had the trust of the village people and things were going according to plan.

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	24. Onslaught

Ch. 24

Naruto was now sitting at Ichiraku Ramen with a transformed clone impersonating Sasuke. He had already placed his usual order when he saw Kakashi walk up and sit next to him. Naruto turned and in an inquisitive voice said, "What's up?"

Kakashi was already reading from his book as he replied. "I just talked to Tsunade. She said the decryption should be done within the hour, so eat quickly. We don't know exactly when it'll finish, but another mission could be coming up soon."

Naruto nodded, then said, "Is that all you came to tell me?"

Kakashi gave a short nod, "Yep. Tsunade put me in charge of knowing where you guys were so I could call you guys when the decryption finished. Now that I know where all of you are, I'll be able to call you guys when there's a develpoment."

Naruto tried to hide a semi-worried expression. He realized that he now had a slight problem. Kakashi thought he knew where Sasuke was… but he didn't.

Kakashi examined Naruto for a little while before saying, "Don't worry. I know where the real Sasuke is…" Naruto's head swiveled to Kakashi, then after thinking about it for a bit, Naruto let out a small smile and said, "Still sharp as ever Sensei." Kakashi smiled as he continued to read from his book.

Kakashi noticed Naruto had something on his mind, but decided not to press him on it. If Sasuke's diagnosis was right, there had been enough of that already.

After a few short moments, Ayame came out with the ramen Naruto had ordered. She said in a cheerful voice, "Your usual!" Naruto smiled and matched her enthusiasm with a jovial, "Thanks!" She smiled at the fact that he seemed to be a little back to his old self before returning to the kitchen.

After Naruto was finished eating, he looked over to Kakashi who was still reading from his book. Naruto thought to himself for a few moments, then said in a contemplative voice, "Kakashi-Sensei?"

Kakashi turned to him. "Yes."

Naruto looked down into his ramen bowl. "I have a question."

Kakashi nodded. "What is it?"

Before Naruto could say anything else, Sakura ran up behind them. "We need you guys in the Hokage's office. You guys aren't gonna believe this… " Naruto and Kakashi glanced at each other. Maybe the decryption was finished. They both stood up and started heading towards the Hokage's office with Sakura. Before they arrived at the office, Naruto quickly went up to the Hokage Monument to get the real Sasuke.

* * *

Tsunade was sitting with her fingers intertwined as she hunched over the Hokage's desk. Kakashi and Sakura were already in the office, then Naruto and Sasuke arrived. Tsunade looked up and turned around the computer. Kakashi looked down at it. "What is it?" Tsunade replied in a monotone voice, "See for yourself…"

Kakashi stepped towards the computer then squinted his eyes as he examined the screen. It was an email. After he realized what it was, he picked up the computer and started reading. After a few moments, he turned to the others in the room. "This is a letter from the Hidden Rain Village…"

As Naruto and Sasuke cast each other semi-confused glances, Kakashi started to read the letter.

**_"To all the Villages within the Nations,_**

**_We are aware that there was a rumor that we had adopted Sasuke Uchiha as our new leader. There was also a rumor that we had aligned with the Sound and were planning an offensive against certain villages. This letter was sent to clarify these rumors and to also provide the villages with new information._**

**_Regarding our alliance with the Sound and plans of a future offensive against certain villages, we disavow all of these claims."_**

Naruto crossed his arms in annoyance while Sasuke continued to wear his same blank expression. After watching their reactions, Kakashi continued,

**_"We have no intentions of making any offensives against any of the villages._**

**_Regarding Sasuke Uchiha being our leader, this rumor was half true."_**

Now Kakashi had everyone's attention, especially Sasuke's. Kakashi continued,

**_"The reason we say this rumor was half true, is because we were deceived. We were, in fact, rallying behind Sasuke Uchiha, but recently, it was discovered by an aid that Sasuke Uchiha was being impersonated by none other than Orochimaru."_**

Sasuke turned to Kakashi and replied with an immediate, "What?!" Naruto looked just as confused as Sasuke did. Kakashi shrugged, then continued.

**_"Orochimaru had been using a transformation jutsu to impersonate Sasuke. He also had a Rinnegan and a Sharingan that allowed him to mimic some of Sasuke Uchiha's abilities. This was discovered by a close assistant of Orochimaru's named Hikan Anaki."_**

**Sasuke slightly shook his head in annoyance while Naruto rolled his eyes and said, "Why am I not surprised…" Kakashi continued reading.**

**_"Hikan caught Orochimaru releasing the transformation jutsu he was using to impersonate Sasuke. Orochimaru tried to once again decieve Hikan, but was unable to. Because Orochimaru was caught off guard, Hikan was able to strike from behind, effectively killing him."_**

Naruto's mouth slightly dropped, "Orochimaru is dead?..." Kakashi looked at the letter as he replied in a soft voice. "It appears that way..." Sasuke immediately said, "Appearances can be deceiving. Keep reading." Kakashi examined Sasuke for a second, then continued,

**_"After this, Hikan transplanted the Rinnegan and Sharingan into his own eyes and presented the truth to the people. Hikan proceeded to offer to take up the task of leading of the village. We believe that Hikan will be able to lead Amegakure into a new era of peace and prosperity._**

**_It is for this reason that this letter has been sent to announce that, effective immediately, Hikan Anaki has officially been elected the leader of Amegakure."_**

Naruto's mouth dropped while Sasuke wore a pensive but somewhat disgusted expression.

Kakashi put down the computer and turned it back in Tsunade's direction. He turned to Tsunade and said in a exasperated voice, "You can't be serious?..."

Tsunade sat back in her chair as she replied. "That email arrived a few minutes ago. I think Hikan wanted to get the news of his election out fast. This email was probably sent to all of the villages. All of the villages that don't only use hawks that is. If you look at the bottom, the message was sent from the new official email address of Amegakure…" After a short pause, Tsunade continued. "An official election document confirming Hikan's election is attached to that email. He is now the official leader of Amegakure. We should expect an official scroll in the coming days…"

After a few seconds of silence, Sasuke spoke up, "Hikan is obviously lying. He was too experienced with his Rinnegan for it to have been transplanted anytime recently. He just needed a scapegoat that he could paint as my impersonator so he could assume power."

Naruto said in a slightly angry voice, "He's lying through his teeth and they elected him to be their leader…"

Kakashi replied, "Well the people obviously don't know he's lying… or they wouldn't have elected him." Naruto thought about it then crossed his arms in a semi-pouting stance.

Tsunade let out a sigh and turned to Kakashi. "Hikan is playing this brilliantly…"

Kakashi put a hand on his chin. "I know…"

Before anyone could say anything else, the computer made a beeping sound. Tsunade looked at the screen. It read, 'Decryption Complete.'

She cast everyone in the room a glance then turned the computer around. Sakura walked towards it and started opening the file.

Tsunade walked from behind the desk so she could see the computer, then turned to Kakashi. "The moment of truth…" Kakashi gave a small nod.

* * *

After a few seconds, the file finally opened. It read, "O.O." Sakura gave everyone a glance then clicked on it to open it.

At the top of the page it read in bold red letters, **"OPERATION ONSLAUGHT – PHASE 1."**

As the group looked at the screen, their eyes widened at the scope of what was being planned.

On the screen was a map of the known shinobi world. Six villages had a large, red X over them. Naruto whispered in a low voice, "No way…"

The group looked to the right of the map. In addition to being crossed out on the map, the villages that were going to be attacked were listed to the right.

**Hidden Sand Village**

**Hidden Cloud Village**

**Hidden Grass Village**

**Hidden Hot Water Village**

**Hidden Sound Village**

**Hidden Stone Village**

After a few seconds of standing in shock, Kakashi said, "When is this supposed to happen?"

Sakura scrolled down and her mouth fell open as she read off the information. "It's supposed to happen today… at 3:30 PM….." As soon as she said that, everyone turned to the clock on the wall. 1:32 PM. Kakashi started scratching his forehead and said in a voice that conveyed a newfound urgency. "That's not a lot of time. This isn't good…"

After a moment of stunned silence, Sakura continued, "It says the attacks are all going to take place simultaneously….." Kakashi dropped his head then turned to Tsunade. "Ok this REALLY isn't good… As a matter of fact, this just turned into a major problem." Tsunade just kept staring at the screen.

After a little while, Sasuke spoke up, "How does Hikan even have the audacity to attack all these villages at once? Where is he getting the firepower from? Those eyes he has might make him strong enough to take down one village on his own, but these attacks are all supposed to happen at the same time… He needs some really heavy hitters…"

Kakashi looked down to the screen. "I have no idea where he's getting his firepower from, but he's already shown he's crafty enough to become the leader of Amegakure in an instant… We don't know if he has any allies we don't know about. We have to take him seriously…"

Kakashi turned to Tsunade. "We need to notify the villages that are in danger right now. We don't know how powerful these assaults will be, so since we're not on the list of villages to be attacked, we should send aid. When you send the email to the villages that are in danger, make sure to let them know we'll be sending aid." Tsunade was knocked out of her daze and managed to say in a low voice, "Yeah. I'll start on them now…" After a short pause, Tsunade asked, "But what about the villages that still communicate by hawk like the Sand?"

Kakashi thought for a second, then replied, "They'll have to learn of the intel when our aid arrives."

Tsunade paused, then nodded. She reached down to her right and pulled out another laptop while the others continued to go over the new intel.

Kakashi looked to Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura. "While Tsunade notifies the other villages, we need to figure out how we're going to help… That starts with figuring out how we're gonna get shinobi in all those different places in under two hours." Kakashi looked over to Sasuke, "I know that on your last mission you had problems with your Rinnegan due to exhaustion, but do you think that if Naruto continues to give you chakra, you could eventually get everyone to where they needed to be?"

Sasuke looked down pensively for a few seconds, then replied, "When I use my Space-Time Dojutsu, I quickly pass through another dimension and exit in this one. The location I arrive at corresponds to which dimension I pass through. When we went on the mission to Amegakure, I didn't know which dimension would lead to us exiting at Amegakure. I noticed it was raining in one of the other dimensions and it ended up leading us to Amegakure. In other words, we got lucky."

Kakashi paused for a second. "So you don't know which dimensions lead to which villages?..." Sasuke replied, "I only know where two dimensions lead. I know how to get to Amegakure because of our recent mission, and I know how to get to here in Konoha. I never had any reason to learn where the other dimensions led to. My theory is that the conditions in those other dimensions reflect the conditions in our dimension. I think that's why it was raining in the dimension that led to the Hidden Rain Village. The problem is that if I'm wrong, we could be playing a guessing game...for a long time."

Kakashi slowly nodded as he replied, "So in other words, we could waste time…a lot of time…which we don't have..." Sasuke slowly nodded.

Naruto turned to Sasuke, "When we got to Amegakure, I didn't notice us passing through any other dimension….." Sasuke continued to look at the computer screen as he replied. "That's because you don't have a Rinnegan. I scanned at least 5 different dimensions before taking us through the one that led to Amegakure." Naruto's eyes widened and his mouth dropped a little as Sasuke continued. "That's also why my Rinnegan was so exhausted after one trip. I could get to Amegakure easily now, but only because I now know which dimension to pass through to get there."

After a short pause, Naruto slowly gave a nod of understanding, then said, "First we need to find out which villages me and Sasuke are going to. Then we can focus on how we'll get there."

Kakashi looked at the ground pensively for a few moments, then said, "Good point. If Hikan is personally involved in this assault, we have to make sure he runs into one of you guys, which means we have to figure out which 2 villages he's most likely to attack…"

After a drawn out silence, Naruto said, "The only three villages that would probably require someone of Hikan's caliber to take them down are the Cloud, the Stone and the Sand. He might be personally involved in the attack on one of those villages." Kakashi thought about it as he slowly nodded.

Sasuke looked at the screen for a little, then said, "I'll go to the Stone. Naruto, you go to the Sand. The Cloud has Killer Bee. Even with Hikan's visual prowess, Killer Bee is a powerful jinchuriki. Bee's power combined with all of the Cloud's powerful shinobi should be able to repel an assault even if Hikan is there."

Tsunade paused for a moment, then turned to Kakashi, "The council might have a problem with that since Sasuke is still supposed to be with Naruto at all times….."

Kakashi let out a small sigh. "We don't have time for that. If they want to stop him, let them try. Right now we need to worry about how we're gonna help the other villages." Tsunade nodded in agreement.

After a few seconds, Kakashi said, "What Sasuke suggested could work, but we still have to send a group to the Cloud to at least help." Sasuke nodded in agreement.

After a few seconds of thinking, Kakashi said, "I'll lead a team to the Cloud, Sakura will lead a team to the Sound, we'll have Guy lead a team to the Hot Water and Shikamaru will lead a team to the Grass. Tsunade, as Hokage, you'll have to stay here." Tsunade was now typing away at the computer and replied with a quick, "Got it!"

Kakashi looked around the room and said, "Now the last problem… How will we get our shinobi to those different villages so quickly."

Naruto looked down pensively as he got an idea. He turned to Kakashi. "What if I use a Kurama Avatar to transport shinobi?..."

Kakashi turned to Naruto and said in an unsure voice, "Just how fast can you fly with a Kurama Avatar?..." Naruto looked down. "I have no idea… but I think I'm fast enough to get everyone to where they need to be." Kakashi looked at Naruto with a more serious expression and said in a concerned voice, "Do you really think you have the chakra to sustain a Kurama Avatar while traveling that fast for that long?..."

Naruto thought to himself, then replied, "I'll be fine. I probably can't sustain any clones though… although it would be helpful… The only concern I have is regarding the Cloud. It's out of my way. I might not be able to reach everywhere in time if I go there…"

Sasuke looked over at a map of the shinobi world that was on the office wall. He said in a thoughtful voice, "If you didn't have to go to the Cloud, you could just circle through the other villages starting at the Hot Water and ending at the Sand." Kakashi looked at the map as he reflected on their current dilemma.

After a few seconds of looking at the map, Sasuke spoke up. "What if I used my Susanoo to fly Sakura's team to the Cloud, then took my team to the Stone?..." Kakashi turned to Sasuke. "You don't have the massive chakra reserves Naruto has. You could run out of chakra before you even got to the Stone…" Sasuke and Kakashi kept looking at the map trying to find a way to make the plan work.

Just then, Naruto got an idea. He walked over to the map and pointed to the Hot Water Village. "What if after I went to the Hot Water Village," He moved his finger to the Sound. "I waited for Sasuke at the Sound… I could infuse more chakra while I waited, then give him some to recharge him…"

Kakashi turned to Tsunade who was now looking up from the email she was writing. Sasuke spoke into the silence. "Naruto's plan works…"

After a few seconds of silence, Kakashi said in a low voice, "Ok. We'll do that."

After a short pause, he looked at everyone in the room. "This has turned into a very eventful day… Get ready to leave and meet up at the Main Gate by 2:00 PM. I'm going to go get everyone we need."

Tsunade turned to Kakashi before he left. "I just sent the email to the Cloud and the Stone. The other villages will have to find out what's going on when we get to them." Kakashi nodded then opened the door. He looked over at the clock. 1:43 PM.

He paused for a second, then turned around to face everyone in the room and said in a grave voice, "We're on the clock… Let's make sure we beat it." Everyone gave a nod and proceeded to prepare to leave.

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	25. Bombshell

Ch. 25

Tsunade, Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura were already standing at the gates as the other nin arrived. Every member of the original Konoha 11 was now present along with some familiar faces like Guy, Sai and Yamato. Naruto looked at a small clock on the side of the main gate. 1:54 PM. As he turned around, he saw Kakashi walking up to everyone who was now present. Kakashi had on his ANBU gear, and of course, his mask.

As Kakashi reached where everyone was standing, Sasuke grinned at him and said, "Not late for once, eh Kakashi?" There were scattered giggles among those present, then Kakashi said in a semi-jovial voice. "Well, no one needed help on the way." Sasuke wore a small smirk as he looked away towards the main gate.

Kakashi noticed that Naruto looked like he was in a better mood than usual, so he asked him, "What is it?" Naruto smiled, then said in a low voice, "It's nothing really. It's just that I noticed we're about to go on our first mission as equals. We're both ANBU captains now Sensei." Kakashi gave a slight grin then said in a whisper, "Then maybe you should stop calling me sensei." Naruto gave an indignant look. "No way! That would be weird." Kakashi smiled at a glimse of the old Naruto then made sure to take note of Sasuke's reaction. His face didn't change. He kept that same blank stare he always wore, but Kakashi knew he had to be thinking about what his life could've been like.

After a few seconds, Kakashi turned serious as he spoke to everyone present. "You all know the stakes. I don't think I need to tell anyone here that we can't afford to make any mistakes…"

After Kakashi finished speaking, he pulled out a small notebook. "These are going to be the team compositions. Naruto, your team will consist of-" Before he could say anything else, Sasuke interrupted, "Naruto doesn't need a team. With his shadow clones, he's basically a mini army, and if he was alone, he could also travel to the Sand without needing a Kurama Avatar."

Kakashi thought about it for a second, then turned to Naruto. Naruto simply shrugged his shoulders then nodded in agreement. Kakashi turned back to Sasuke and said, "I'm guessing that means you don't want a team either…" Sasuke said in a monotone voice, "We all know I can take care of myself. Giving either of us a team would just be a waste of resources. Other teams would benefit from the extra members more than we would."

Kakashi thought to himself for a few seconds then made some changes in the small notebook he was holding. After he was finished, he read off the new team compositions to everyone.

* * *

**Team Compositions**

Team Naruto - Naruto Uzumaki

Team Sasuke - Sasuke Uchiha

Team Sakura – Sakura Haruno, Shino Aburame, Hinata Hyuga, Kiba Inuzuka/Akamaru

Team Kakashi – Kakashi Hatake, Anko Mitarashi, Sai, Yamato

Team Guy – Might Guy, Rock Lee, Tenten, Neji Hyuga

Team Shikamaru – Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi, Ino Yamanaka, Raido Namiashi

* * *

After he was finished reading off the team compositions, he looked around at everybody. "Team Sakura will be traveling with Sasuke, everyone else will be with Naruto. Any questions?" Kakashi looked around and everyone seemed to understand what was going on. He looked over to the small clock on the gate. 1:58 PM. He turned to Naruto and Sasuke. "Take it away…"

As Naruto and Sasuke started to walk out of the main gate, the teams they were transporting followed them. After they were a reasonable distance away, Naruto walked over to Sasuke and touched his shoulder. A red aura formed around Sasuke, then Naruto said, "A little extra just in case." Sasuke paused for a second, then nodded.

Naruto walked a reasonable distance away from Sasuke so he could have room to create his Kurama Avatar. Sasuke turned to Naruto and said in a serious voice, "You ready?..." Naruto turned and smiled. "Born that way…" Sasuke gave off a small smirk as they both turned and faced forward.

In an instant, an orange aura started forming around Naruto and a purple aura started forming around Sasuke. Everyone close to them was engulfed in the auras and before long, Naruto's group was in his Kurama Avatar and Sasuke's group was in his Susanoo.

Naruto turned to Sasuke. "Let's do this." Sasuke gave a short nod.

Sasuke's Susanoo slowly started to lift from the ground while Naruto's Kurama Avatar started to run in the direction they were going. After Sasuke's Susanoo was around 50 feet off the ground, it started rapidly accelerating in the same direction as Naruto's running Kurama Avatar. When Sasuke's Susanoo had caught up to Naruto's Kurama Avatar, the Kurama Avatar jumped off the ground and started flying alongside the Susanoo.

Naruto looked over to Sasuke and yelled, "Time to pick things up!" Sasuke nodded then they both started to rapidly accelerate. As the two avatars accelerated to supersonic speeds, a loud boom was heard. Kakashi turned to Might Guy. "I think we're moving faster than the speed of sound…" Might Guy squinted his eyes. "Then how come I can still hear you." Kakashi thought about it for a second, then shrugged. "I have no idea…"

The nin watched the outside fly by as they picked up speed. Terrains lasted for less than a second as the avatars whizzed by them. From forests, to waterfalls, to valleys, to open fields.

Naruto looked over to Sasuke and gave a questioning nod. Sasuke smirked then nodded back. Naruto smiled then looked forward. The two avatars started to accelerate to the point where the outside could barely be perceived.

As the two avatars continued to accelerate, Kakashi started to wonder if Naruto would really be ok. He may have massive chakra reserves, but this was still a lot to ask. He moved through the orange chakra until he was at Naruto's side. "You ok?..." Naruto replied in an easygoing voice, "Yeah, I'm fine. Not only that, we're making great progress."

Kakashi nodded then thought to himself for a second. After a little while he turned to Naruto and said, "Jiraiya would be proud..."

Naruto paused for a second, then said with a wide smile, "Believe it!" Kakashi smiled and returned to his original place in the avatar.

* * *

After traveling for a while, a body of water came into sight. Naruto turned to Sasuke and the two gave each other short nods. Sasuke's Susanoo left the side of Naruto's Kurama Avatar and started heading toward the Cloud while Naruto's Kurama Avatar began to slow down.

After the Kurama Avatar had reached the Hot Water village, Kakashi jumped out, followed by Team Guy. Kakashi handed Guy a letter and said, "Give this letter to their leader. It has all the information they need to know. This village prides itself on being 'the village that has forgotten wars'. Problem is that sometimes the wars come to you... Good luck." Guy nodded and gave a thumbs up followed by one of his signature smiles. Kakashi slightly lightened up after seeing Guy's attitude before jumping back into the Kurama Avatar. Kakashi gave one last nod to Guy, then, in a flash, they were gone.

* * *

As Sasuke's Susanoo arrived at the Cloud, they were met by Killer Bee and A, the Fourth Raikage. As Sakura's team left the Susanoo, A said to Sakura, "We got your email. We also got Hikan's email from earlier. If that bastard thinks he's going to mount a successful attack against the Cloud, he's sorely mistaken. We'll be ready."

Sakura gave a determined nod, then A looked over at Sasuke who was preparing to leave in his Susanoo. A whispered to Sakura in a low voice, "It really is him." Sakura nodded then yelled up to Sasuke, "Will you be ok?" She noticed the chakra Naruto had given him was now gone, so she wondered if he'd be ok to continue to the Sound. Sasuke replied in his usual monotone voice. "I'll be fine." He turned to the team he had just dropped off, "You all take care of yourselves." Sakura nodded then Sasuke turned around, and before long he was flying towards the Sound.

A watched as the Susanoo faded into the distance, then turned to Sakura. "The rogue ninja isn't so rogue anymore." Sakura smiled then said to herself in a hushed voice, "Hopefully, he stays that way."

* * *

As Naruto arrived at the Sound, he decided to make a Kurama Avatar Clone and have it start infusing chakra. It sat out in the open in a meditating, sitting position with its eyes closed.

Before Kakashi left the avatar, he turned to Naruto and said, "You're not tired?" Naruto was now sweating a little, but not profusely. He replied in a voice that showed he was actually feeling pretty good. "No, I'm fine. And I've already started infusing more chakra, so I'll be fine." Kakashi looked satisfied with his answer, then said, "Ok. Then we'll just wait for Sasuke." Naruto nodded in agreement as the two started waiting.

* * *

After a few minutes of waiting, Naruto and Kakashi saw Sasuke's Susanoo heading their way. As Sasuke landed, he looked over to the avatar clone that was infusing chakra. It's nine tails and its body in general were now significantly bigger than usual.

Naruto smirked then said, "Took you long enough…" Sasuke smirked and replied with a simple, "Hn." as he walked over to Naruto and Kakashi.

As Naruto got rid of his avatar clone, he felt the wave of chakra hit him all at once as his orange aura turned a deeper and more vibrant orange.. He reached out and put his hand on Sasuke's shoulder. After a few seconds, Sasuke saw a huge red aura form around him. He paused then said to Naruto, "Don't give me too much. You've got a longer way to go than I do." Naruto replied with a convincing, "I'll be fine." Sasuke looked at him for a little longer, then gave a slight shoulder shrug.

After a few more seconds, Naruto removed his hand from Sasuke's shoulder and said, "That should be more than enough to get you to the Stone. As Sasuke nodded in agreement, Kakashi turned to both of them and said in a serious voice, "I hope you both know that you've helped save many lives today." Naruto gave a short nod and Sasuke, after a short pause, did the same.

Kakashi looked in the direction the two shinobi would have to go and said, "You guys better get going. Remember, we're on the clock." Naruto and Sasuke nodded, then the two flew off in their respective avatars. After they were out of sight, Kakashi turned to his team and started relaying his plan. The Sound currently had no leadership, so his team would have to inform whoever they could find.

* * *

As the sun shone through the forest leaves, Hikan continued to walk at a leisurely pace. He looked forward with a smirk on his face and said in a soft voice while shaking his head, "Too easy…"

After he had walked for a while, he reached his destination. He gave a small smirk then used a transformation jutsu to turn into Sasuke. He wore a proud smile as he looked up to the main gate of Konoha.

He chuckled to himself, then said to himself in a low voice, "They're pathetically predictable…"

After a moment, he grew serious and used his gravity powers to levitate over the village in a way similar to how Pain did.

He looked out over Konoha, then thought to himself, _'I still remember when Pain destroyed this village… ' _As he thought about it, there was a glint of respect in his eye for the fallen leader of the Hidden Rain.

He knocked himself out of his thoughts, then said in an upbeat voice, "Sorry Konoha. Nothing personal. I just have to prove a point..."

He looked out over the village then pushed out his hands and yelled out, "SHINRA TENSEI! (Almighty Push)"

All at once, a crater started forming at the main gate and started expanding towards the village. Everything in its path was completely destroyed as it tore through the city. The many trees in the area were completely uprooted and tossed aside like toothpicks while all of the houses and buildings in the area were torn up from their foundations.

The crater continued to expand, but started to slow down as it approached Konoha P.D. It completely destroyed Konoha P.D. and stopped just short of the Hatake Clan region.

Tsunade was in her office when she heard a large booming sound coming from outside. She turned to look outside and watched in horror as the portion of the village around the main gate was completely destroyed. After the destruction stopped, she felt a wave shock, exasperation and confusion come over her. Right now, her best ninja were on an important mission, and now some new threat just showed up out of nowhere.

Tsunade activated her Mitotic Regeneration then jumped out of the window and started heading towards the destruction to investigate.

Hikan looked out at the destroyed part of the village, then slowly dropped his arms and used his gravity powers to return to the ground. As he dropped though the dust created by the destruction, he let out a content sigh then sat on some of the rubble.

* * *

After a few short moments, Tsunade arrived at the huge crater that had destroyed a small portion of Konoha. She looked around at the destruction, then bit her thumb and summoned a large portion of her healing slug, Katsuyu.

As soon as Katsuyu arrived, she looked around in stunned silence, then asked, "What happened?..." Tsunade looked into the crater and replied, "Even I don't know yet. For now search for survivors. Save as many lives as you can." Katsuyu nodded, then separated into several smaller slugs and went to search for survivors.

Tsunade noticed there were some other nin present and held out a hand so that they wouldn't make a move. She had no idea who they were dealing with, and the last thing she needed was nin getting themselves killed. Whoever this was had to be an extremely powerful enemy.

As she continued to look into the crater, she found herself struggling to see since the dust hadn't completely settled, but it looked like there was someone sitting in the rubble.

Before she could do anything else, she saw a flash of red and found herself in a vast expanse. She looked down to her feet and saw that she was standing on some water that reflected the red sky overhead. It must be a Sharingan. Before she could think anything else, she heard a voice behind her. "Tsunade, the legendary Sannin…"

She did a 180 and saw none other than Sasuke. She turned her head and said in a confused voice, "Sasuke?!" Hikan lifted his hands to his side and said, "The one and only."

Tsunade paused for a second, then said in a confused voice, "You're not Sasuke." She paused for a little while longer, then said, "You're his impersonator…" Her eyes widened as she continued. "You're Hikan…"

Hikan put both of his hands on his chest and said in a sarcastic voice, "Oh, you got me…"

He released the transformation jutsu, then continued. "You know, I was beginning to think you wouldn't even be able to figure out my true identity. You Konoha nin are easy to fool."

Tsunade wore a shocked expression as she said, "…But how are you here?..." She slightly shook her head as she continued. "Our intel…"

Hikan scratched his head and said, "What intel?..." then after scratching his head for a little while longer, he said with a sneer, "Ohhhhh, you must be talking about that encrypted piece of FICTION I had stashed away on my computer."

Tsunade's eyes widened as she realized he had let them acquire false intel on purpose. While she stood there silent, Hikan looked out over the water and said, "You know, you guys should really be careful about communicating by hawk. Such an outdated...slow...and very interceptable way to send messages."

Tsunade stood there in shock, then after she had thought to herself for a second, she said in a low voice, "Gaara's intel…you changed it…"

Hikan smirked then said, "I made a few tweaks here and there. I needed you guys to get some bad information from a trusted source…" He let out a small sigh then said in a smug voice. "Having information isn't the same as having answers… This little scheme of mines actually worked out better than I thought it would…"

After a few moments of Tsunade standing in stunned silence, Hikan shrugged his shoulders and said in a carefree voice, "Oh well. Maybe next time you guys will consider using emails like I do... Much more secure method of communication... The Sand needs to get with the times..."

Tsunade gave him a disgusted look, but before she could say anything, he started to gloat a little more. "You Konoha nin…" He started chuckling to himself. "I mean COME ON, me and the Hidden Rain launching an attack…on six villages…" He started laughing a little more as he said the last part. "…SIMULTANEOUSLY…"

He turned to Tsunade and said, "I mean I know I'm good…but I'm not THAT good….." Tsunade looked at him with a rage that was uninhibited. He noticed her reaction and said in a monotone voice, "Come on now, don't give me that face. It's because you Konoha nin are so devoted to helping others that I was able to find such a great opportunity to strike… and with no consequences. If someone like Naruto or Sasuke were here, I'd probably die after launching an attack like this, but they're… otherwise occupied."

After a short pause, Tsunade growled out, "At least now everyone will know what a fraud you are!" Hikan replied rather quickly. "You sure about that?..." He slightly tilted his head to the side as he continued. "The Rain didn't receive a notification that Sasuke had returned to the village. I'm guessing that means the other villages don't know as well, which means this attack could've been perpetrated by the real Sasuke." Hikan shook his head and whispered into Tsunade's ear, "Not sharing is gonna come back to bite you guys. Even if you can convince the other villages that Sasuke is innocent, their trust in Konoha will be shaken. Konoha is the main village advocating 'peace' and 'trust' between all shinobi, yet you all kept Sasuke's return from the other villages...not a great plan... Not only that, even if Sasuke is proven innocent, you still have no proof that this attack was perpetrated by me... It's your word vs. mine... Anyone from Konoha who saw me, saw what I wanted them to see... a vengeful Sasuke Uchiha. You're the only one who's seen my actual face." After a short pause, he said, "I wonder how the Rain would react to false accusations being raised against their new leader..." Tsunade thought about what he said and found herself growing more and more disgusted with him.

He paused for a second, then looked out over the water and said in a pensive voice, "I was actually quite surprised when I saw a Kurama Avatar and a Susanoo breaking the sound barrier headed towards other villages. You guys must've had some plan..." He paused for a second, then said in a sarcastic voice, "Too bad it was all for nothing, eh?" Tsunade let out a yell and started charging towards him. He let out a small sigh, then looked at her directly with his Sharingan.

Before she knew what hit her, Tsunade found herself sitting down and tied to a pole from her neck to her waist. She looked around and noticed they were now in a red alleyway. She tried to break free, but couldn't find the strength to.

As she tried to break free, she felt someone give her a slight wack upside the head. She turned to her left and made a disgusted face as she saw that it was Hikan. He walked around and stood opposite her then said, "You know, instead of rushing me like a mad dog, maybe you should ask me why I actually haven't left yet. It's obvious that I could've left after launching this attack before anyone, including you, saw me. I mean you guys might have suspected me to be the culprit, but you wouldn't know for sure. So the question you should be asking is, why am I still here?"

Tsunade paused, then cast him an angry glance and growled out in a low voice, "Why are you still here?..." Hikan gave a fake smile then said in a sarcastic voice, "I'm so glad you asked!"

His demeanor immediately changed as he sat down next to her and whispered into her ear in a menacing voice, "You see, the only reason I attacked this village was to get a message across. It wasn't personal. So you make sure to tell all those nin I saw headed to those other villages that this peace you all are working so hard for…it's not worth it. A small portion of the people in your village are now dead, all because of this… 'alliance' between nations… This peace, it's a façade, and when I put this uhhh…'false' peace to the test, I'm gonna prove I'm right." Tsunade now saw that Hikan's joking demeanor was completely gone. He was dead serious.

After a few moments of silence, Hikan turned away from Tsunade. "Don't worry, I didn't destroy nearly as much as Pain did when he came here. With a little time, you all will be able to rebuild… except for the lives lost that is…" Tsunade gave him a look of disgust, to which he simply gave a small smirk. "I can tell that if you could, you'd probably kill me right now, but I didn't come here for a fight…not that you'd be able to win…" He gave a small smirk, then released the genjutsu.

"Tsunade!" Tsunade woke up and found a worried Ebisu shaking her shoulders. She turned to him and said, "What happened?..." Ebisu looked at her and said with a notable concern in his voice, "You told us not to make a move, then you just froze…"

As Tsunade looked around she realized she was back in the real world. She looked into the crater where Hikan was. He was gone. She dropped her head in defeat as she looked around and saw the destruction that had been caused.

As she looked around at the massive crater, she saw one of her slugs moving towards her. The slug climbed onto her shoulder and said in a solemn voice, "So far, we have over 200 casualties and counting..."

Tsunade stood there motionless for a few seconds, before dropping her head and saying in a silent voice, "We messed up… big time."

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	26. Redemption

Ch. 26

Naruto had already dropped off the rest of the teams at the different villages and was now almost at the Hidden Sand Village. He was no longer using a Kurama avatar since it was just him traveling. As he reached the border, he was greeted by two Sand ninja. They looked very shocked to see him, so he just said in a voice that conveyed urgency, "I need to speak to the Kazekage. It's a matter of great urgency." The two Sand nin were still a little shocked but managed to nod at Naruto as they motioned for him to follow them.

As they reached the Kazekage's office, they didn't even have time to open the door as Gaara stepped out. He was accompanied by Temari and Kankuro. Naruto looked a little shocked, but he was definitely happy to see him.

Gaara smiled as he reached out for a handshake, but his smile slightly faded as he realized how tired Naruto was. He was breathing pretty hard and he was sweating heavily as well. Gaara said in a slightly concerned voice, "Are you ok, Naruto?..." Naruto gave a small nod. "Yeah, I'll be fine." Before Gaara could say anything else, Naruto continued in a grave voice. "As much as I wish this was a social call, I've come to bring urgent intel." Gaara nodded and said, "I can see that…" Naruto squinted then looked at himself and noticed he was still in his SoSP mode. He let out a small chuckle and said, "Oh yeah. Sorry about that…" The aura disappeared and Naruto went back to looking how he normally looked.

He said in a dire voice, "The reason I came here is because we have intel confirming an attack against your village-" he looked over to a clock that was hanging on the wall. 3:17 PM. "Less than 15 minutes from now…" Gaara's expression quickly changed to one of confusion and shock. Temari and Kankuro had similar reactions.

Gaara turned to Temari and Kankuro. "Go prepare our shinobi. Immediately." The two nodded then jogged out of the room.

Gaara turned to Naruto and said, "The Sand is grateful for the intel, and I am as well." Naruto nodded then said, "You know we've got your back."

Gaara nodded, then asked in an inquisitive voice, "Who would want to attack the Sand? And why?..."

Naruto replied, "All we know is that the attack will be carried out on six villages simultaneously." Gaara's eyes widened at the news as Naruto continued. "It's Hikan who's orchestrating the attack." Gaara tilted his head to the side and said, "Who's Hikan?..." Naruto paused then said, "Oh right. You guys only use hawks so you don't know yet... Hikan is the new leader of Amegakure." Gaara let out a shocked "What?..." Naruto nodded and said, "Yeah. He sent out an email today."

As Gaara thought about the new information, Naruto turned to him and said, "We wouldn't even know he was planning on attacking all of these villages if it wasn't for your intel." Gaara turned to him and gave him a semi-confused look. "What intel?" Naruto replied, "I'm talking about when you sent us the location of the plans for a future offensive against the Leaf and the Sand." Gaara paused for a second, then said in a wary voice, "I never sent Konoha any intel… We never got any new information regarding that future offensive…"

Naruto froze as he started to think about the implications of what Gaara had just said. He put a hand on his chin, then said in a low voice, "If you didn't give us the location, then who did?..." Gaara looked as confused as Naruto.

After a moment of thinking to himself, Naruto said in a angry voice, "It must've been Hikan…" As he realized Hikan must be behind the false info, his eyes widened in shock as he turned to Gaara, "If he gave us that false intel, he wanted us to steal that information from his computer…"

He paused for a second then said in a soft voice, "It was all a lie…" Gaara turned to him and said, "But why go to all this trouble. Why make you guys think he was going to launch an assault on all of these villages?..." Naruto couldn't think of an answer.

While Naruto was still thinking, Gaara said in a nervous voice, "Who is currently at the Hidden Leaf Village..." Naruto thought about it then said, "Well our strongest shinobi are providing aid so-..." It was at that moment that Naruto realized the village had been left open to attack. He turned to Gaara and said in a silent voice, "He just wanted us gone….."

Gaara looked at Naruto with an obvious concern, then said, "You need to go… now." Naruto nodded, then jetted out of the office and went into his SoSP mode as soon as he got outside.

Temari and Kankuro were standing outside and watched as he folded his hands and flew off the ground, cracking it in the process.

Soon after, Gaara ran out of the building and watched as Naruto faded out of sight. Temari turned to him. "What was that about?..." Gaara continued to look out into the distance as he spoke. "Naruto just realized that the Leaf got some false intel." After a short pause, Gaara continued. "The Rain has a new leader." Temari and Kankuro's eyebrows raised in shock as Gaara continued. "His name is Hikan. It seems like he gave them false intel so that he could be attack while they were weak."

As Temari and Kankuro took in the information, Gaara said in a firm voice, "Prepare the shinobi just in case there's an assault…although I doubt there will be…" The two nodded, then headed over to an adjacent building.

As Naruto rushed back towards Konoha he felt nothing but rage as he thought about how Hikan had set them up. He was hoping against hope that he would find the Hidden Leaf untouched.

* * *

Naruto was sweating profusely as he arrived at Konoha. He felt a wave of dread and sadness hit him all at once as he saw the huge crater of destruction. He could see the people below along with some of Tsunade's slugs. He could hear the sounds of the people digging through the rubble. The air was filled with the smell of wooden ashes, torn metal and dust.

He looked into the huge crater of destruction and slowly descended into it. As soon as he landed, his SoSP mode wore off.

He noticed Tsunade standing by a wrecked signpost. **'Konoha P.D.'** He looked to her left and saw a family of three. Two kids and a mom. He watched as an endless stream of tears ran down their cheeks. The dad must not have made it.

He slowly walked to Tsunade as he agonized over the destruction and said in a sad voice, "How many?..."

Tsunade sighed and replied in a solemn voice, "307 dead. 102 seriously injured… Everyone's been cleared out from under the rubble. Most of the injured have already been brought to the hospital. Right now we're just performing a secondary sweep…" Naruto dropped his head and let out a long sigh. How could they have let this happen. The people of the village counted on them, trusted them, believed in them… and they let them down.

After a few seconds, Naruto looked out into the crater and asked, "Hikan?..." Tsunade slowly nodded. "He arrived a little while after you guys left..." Naruto already knew the answer, but for some reason, he needed to hear Tsunade say it.

Naruto couldn't think straight at the moment, so he just put his head into his hands and sat in the rubble. With all of his power, there was nothing he could do.

* * *

Sasuke turned to the Tsuchikage, "What time is it?" Onoki looked at a small watch he had on his wrist. "Way past time for this assault to have taken place…" Sasuke remained serious as he asked again, "What time is it?..." Onoki paused, then said, "3:40."

Sasuke looked down as he started thinking. This was strange. It was now 10 minutes past the time that the attack was supposed have taken place.

After a few moments of thought, he turned to Onoki and said, "Something's wrong. I'm going back to Konoha." Onoki thought about it, then said, "I agree. This is very strange. Our scouts see no sign of an approaching enemy. You all may have gotten some bad intel…"

Sasuke looked out into an open space as his Rinnegan started glowing a vibrant purple. A purple swirl started forming, and before long, a full portal had been opened. Sasuke turned to Onoki, "Sorry if we wasted your time." Onoki quickly replied, "If I had intel similar to what you guys had, I'd have done the same thing." Sasuke nodded, then jumped through the portal.

* * *

Naruto was still sitting down when he saw Sasuke's portal start forming near where the main gate used to be. He quickly stood up as he watched Sasuke jumped out of the portal. His eye was missing their tomoe and he looked liked he was out of breath. The constant traveling had definitely taken its toll. He looked as tired as Naruto was feeling.

As Sasuke jumped out of the portal, his eyes widened as he looked around at the destruction. He looked over to his left and saw Naruto and Tsunade standing near some rubble. He walked over to the two and asked in a quiet voice, "What happened?..."

Tsunade let out a sigh before replying. "That intel we got from Gaara… Hikan altered it. He led us to that intel on his computer so that Konoha would be left undefended, then he launched an attack a little while after you guys left."

After a short pause, Sasuke shook his head and said, "He knew we'd try to help the other villages…" Tsunade looked out into the rubble then said in a low voice, "He counted on it…" Sasuke looked out into the crater once more as he thought about how they had all been deceived.

As he took in the info, he looked over to Naruto who was just standing there. He looked not only dejected, but also physically drained. He was looking down into the ground and sweating a lot more than Sasuke was accustomed to. Sasuke felt a little sorry for him because he knew that he always felt like he was responsible whenever something happened to the village. He wasn't even the Hokage, but it was obvious how much he cared about the village and its people.

After a few moments, Sasuke looked out into the crater pensively. He cast a glance to Tsunade, then to Naruto. After a few seconds, he looked down into the ground, then lifted his head with a look of pure determination.

He rapidly put his hands into a ram hand sign, then quickly changed to a serpent hand sign. The King of Hell erupted from the middle of the crater as Sasuke yelled out, "Gedo Art of Rinne Rebirth!"

Naruto's head swiveled over to Sasuke as he yelled, "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Tsunade was also now looking at Sasuke with an intense stare. Sasuke looked forward with a determination in his eyes and replied, "The only thing I can do…"

As Naruto looked at the King of Hell in the middle of the crater, he turned to Sasuke and yelled, "I won't let you do this! You don't even have a lot of chakra right now!" He started running towards Sasuke, but before he could do anything, a flurry of green souls started flying out of the King of Hell's mouth. Naruto stopped a few feet away from Sasuke as he saw that the jutsu had already begun.

Sasuke was struggling to keep the serpent hand sign as he replied. "A little too late to stop me now... Besides, I have to do this..." Naruto replied with a quick, "Why?!" Sasuke looked out into the crater. "This is my shot at redemption...I'm taking it..." Naruto paused, then looked over to Sasuke and said in a softer voice, "I won't let you trade your life..."

After a short pause, Sasuke smirked and said through heavy breathing, "If it were you, you'd do the same… Even though you're fighting me on this, I know you understand..." Naruto clenched his jaw. He did understand, but even though Sasuke was right, he couldn't let things end like this. As he started thinking about what to do, his expression turned to one of dread. Sasuke's hair was now turning white starting at his scalp.

As the souls left the King of Hell's mouth, Sasuke felt a sharp pain and brought his left hand up to his Rinnegan. He let out a grunt of pain and fell to the ground. "Sasuke!" Naruto ran over to Sasuke while the King of Hell's mouth immediately closed and the statue started receding back into the ground.

Naruto stood there in shock as Sasuke laid on the ground gasping for air. Just then, Naruto got an idea and said, "I'll give you some of my chakra again…" Sasuke let out a pained chuckle. "You barely have any…" Naruto clenched his fist, then it started glowing a faint orange. "For a friend... I have enough..." Sasuke looked at him for a few seconds with a stare of respect, then gave an agreeing nod. As Naruto started concentrating to transfer the chakra, Sasuke said in a hushed voice, "If I don't make it... just know that you were more than a brother to me..." Naruto refused to look at him and said in a firm voice, "You'll make it." Sasuke gave one last smirk then said, "Still the optimist.." before slipping into unconsciousness.

Naruto tried to stay calm despite the circumstances. After he was ready, he turned to Tsunade. "I'm gonna give him just about everything I have left, so after I give him this, I'll fall asleep… Take care of him…" Tsunade nodded, then Naruto placed his hand on Sasuke's chest. After a few seconds, Naruto let his eyes close as he hoped that his last effort to save Sasuke's life wasn't in vain.

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	27. Comrades

READER INFO:

This chapter contains some fan art I drew up attached. I hope you guys enjoy the chapter and like the drawing! Give me your thoughts!

* * *

Ch. 27

Naruto woke up and quickly sat up in his bed. He looked to his right out of the window and noticed that there wasn't much sunshine coming through. It must be approaching nighttime. He looked at his right arm and noticed he had an IV in it. He must be in the hospital. As he turned to his left, he noticed that Sakura was the only other person in the room. She was sitting in a chair fast asleep with her head resting on the side of his bed. She was around the same area as his upper arm and she looked like she had been resting there for a while. He was a little shocked but didn't mind the company.

As a small smile crept onto his face, he looked at her and examined her silky pink hair. It was being held up by two hairsticks and was wrapped into a neat bun. He also noticed that he could smell a faint scent of the perfume she usually wore. As he took in the sight of her, he felt a little bit of that same curiosity to get to know her. To find out how she had changed. To get to know her for who she was now, not for who she had been. But those thoughts were accompanied by thoughts reminding him of why he couldn't bring himself to do any of those things. His smile slowly faded into a contemplative half-smile.

After a few moments, he looked at her outfit and noticed that she wasn't wearing her ANBU gear. She had on an outfit similar to the one she used to wear when they were younger. Naruto smiled at the fond memories then decided he better ask for some answers. He had no idea what was going on or how long he'd been out for.

He looked out the window, then turned to Sakura and slightly shook her right shoulder. After a few seconds, she lifted her head and opened her eyes. Her eyes widened a little, then she said in a low voice, "You're awake…" As her emerald green eyes met his cerulean blue eyes, she realized she was a little close to him and rapidly blinked before sitting up straight in the chair.

As they looked into each other eyes, Naruto knew she just wanted to hug him and welcome him back, but he could see that she was controlling herself. Probably because Naruto had so clearly stated that they were just comrades.

Naruto felt a small pang of guilt. He felt even worse as he watched her settle for just half-smiling at him.

He decided to suck it up and push past the pain. He leaned towards her and gave her a small hug. She was taken by surprise, but found herself hugging him tightly as soon as he touched her. Naruto wore an uneven smile then said in a quiet voice, "Comrades can hug right?..." Sakura smiled then nodded with her head on his shoulder.

After a few moments, the two let go then Naruto decided to start asking questions as he laid his head back on the pillow, "How long was I out?"

Sakura said in a grave voice, "It's been two days since Hikan attacked the village." Naruto's eyes widened, then he replied, "I must've been really low on chakra…" Sakura nodded and said, "That and the fact that Tsunade's been keeping you sedated…" Naruto looked over to Sakura and said in an inquisitive voice, "Why?..." Sakura replied, "When you gave Sasuke your chakra, you came dangerously close to emptying your reserve. The only reason you're recovering so fast is because of your healing factor. You almost died Naruto…"

As Naruto looked up at the ceiling, Sakura continued, "Tsunade knew if you woke up you wouldn't let yourself rest, so she kept you sedated. If she didn't sedate you, you probably would've woke up yesterday…"

After a short pause, Naruto decided to ask the question that was lingering in his mind. "How's Sasuke?..." Sakura let out a small sigh. "We don't know…" Naruto sat back up in the bed and said in a more worried voice, "What does that mean?..." Sakura looked down as she continued. "He's been out of it ever since he did the Rinne Rebirth..." As Naruto sat there in shock, Sakura continued, "We don't know what's wrong. Physically he's in near perfect condition, but he just isn't waking up…"

Naruto dropped his head, then said in an inquisitive voice, "So he's in a coma?…" Sakura shook her head. "I've seen a coma before, I don't know what this is and Tsunade doesn't either…" Naruto removed the IV from his arm then started to get up. Sakura looked at him wide eyed. "What are you doing?..." Naruto threw the bedsheets off his legs then said, "I'm gonna go see if there's anything I can do." Sakura said in a curious voice, "Like what?..." Naruto shrugged then said, "I don't know, but maybe I can use Yin Yang release to fix whatever's wrong. That's what I tried before, maybe it'll help now."

Sakura thought about it, then smiled. She knew there was nothing she could say to change his mind. Whenever he made up his mind to help someone, there was no stopping him. As he stood up, the two heard a voice at the door. "Glad to see you're up and about." They turned their heads to see none other than Kakashi.

Naruto said in a semi-surprised voice, "Kakashi-Sensei…" Kakashi walked into the room and said, "Tsunade's in a council meeting. She said you'd probably wake up sometime soon so she sent me to tell you not to overexert yourself… Which I can see you're already preparing to do…" Naruto replied, "I'm fine. I already feel like I'm back to normal because of my healing factor."

Kakashi took a moment to examine him, then concluded that he did look like he was back to his normal self… except for the hospital clothes he was in.

Kakashi said, "So, if I heard correctly, you think your Yin Yang Release can possibly wake up Sasuke?" Naruto looked down and said, "I'm not sure, but I have to try."

Kakashi paused for a second, then said in a firm voice, "Fine, but if you're gonna see Sasuke, at least change into some regular clothes first… or would you prefer to walk around in your hospital clothes?..." Naruto resigned himself and said, "Fine, I'll change…"

Kakashi motioned to a small dresser at one corner of the room. "Your gear and your clothes are in the top drawer."

Naruto nodded then walked over to the drawer and opened it. He thought it would be his ANBU uniform, but instead it was a black and orange jumpsuit. It wasn't very similar to the ones he used to wear, but it had traces of his old uniforms.

Sakura turned to Kakashi and glared at him. Kakashi pretended not to notice and continued looking in Naruto's direction. At least she couldn't hit him at the moment.

Naruto examined the jumpsuit for a little then turned to Kakashi, "Where did this come from?..." Kakashi replied in a simple voice, "Someone in the village made it for you. It's no secret that you like orange and you haven't worn your old outfit in a long time, so they decided to give that to you…as a gift."

Naruto tightened his upper lip. He could tell Kakashi was hiding something and he was pretty sure he knew what, or rather, who it was. After he returned from the war, a lot of people had given him gifts. Mostly girls that were lobbying for his attention, but his closed off attitude had chased off anyone who had tried to get close to him. He hadn't received a gift from anyone in years, except for a few trinkets people had given him on his birthdays or at special festivals. No one just gave him gifts anymore, except for Hinata every now and then.

Naruto squinted his eyes, the only two people who would consider making something like this for him were Sakura and Hinata. If it were Hinata who made the jumpsuit, she would've delivered it in person, so that only left one option. It had to be Sakura.

As he examined it, he started wondering what other skills Sakura had picked up over the years. He turned to Kakashi and said with a small eye squint, "This person have a name…" Kakashi gave one of his trademark smiles, then said, "Nope! They wanted to remain completely anonymous."

Naruto let out a small sigh, then decided to just drop the subject since he wanted to check on Sasuke. He said in a low voice, "It's cool." not wanting to show how cool he thought the jumpsuit actually was. He looked at Kakashi then said, "Tell them I said thanks." as he cast a glance at Sakura. Sakura tried her best to act like she was clueless, but she wasn't doing a very good job.

Kakashi smiled then gave a nod. He knew he wasn't supposed to be meddling, but he couldn't help himself this one time. Sakura was still looking at him, although not as menacingly.

Naruto picked up the gear, then closed the drawer and headed over to the bathroom. As soon as he closed the door, Sakura walked out of the room into the hallway, then motioned for Kakashi to step outside. Kakashi thought he was about to get yelled at enough to last a lifetime, but to his surprise, Sakura looked a little more reserved. She said in a calm voice that showed she really needed an answer, "Why did you give him that?... You know I've been working on it for a while now…"

Kakashi smiled, then replied in a simple voice, "Well, you made it for him didn't you?" Sakura slightly dropped her head. "Yeah but-" Kakashi interrupted. "And it's been finished for some time now, right?" Sakura slowly shook her head in agreement. Kakashi smiled then said, "I think the real question is why DIDN'T you give him that?" Sakura kept her head down as she replied in a soft voice, "You know why…" Kakashi smiled then said, "Exactly! That's why I gave you a helping hand..." Sakura raised her head a little, then smiled and said, "Thanks Sensei." Kakashi smiled then pulled out his copy of Ichi Ichi Paradise as they waited for Naruto to finish.

Naruto looked at himself in the bathroom mirror. He found himself liking the new outfit more and more by the second. He hadn't even put on the top portion, and it already looked even better than when he hadn't put it on. It was mostly black, but had some orange stripes running down the arms and the legs. On the back was a Uzumaki clan sign. The clan sign had orange coming from the back to the front in the form of six sharp edges. They coiled around to the front and gave an obvious nod to Naruto's whiskers. Not only that, the collar was a pale gray color alluding to Naruto's first jumpsuit. Naruto gave a small smile as he thought about how Sakura knew him so well. He looked down for a second as he thought about how things were between them, then knocked himself out of it and finished putting on the jumpsuit.

* * *

**To see my sketch of Naruto in the jumpsuit, you'll have to go to my Deviant Art page. Fanfic won't let me post any links to any other websites, so just follow the short instructions below.**

**Instructions:**

**1) Search DeviantArt through Google and click on their main page.**

**2) After you're on their website, add /one1022 to the end of the website link.**

**3) You should be at my page! (Be sure to read the description below the drawing!)**

**Be sure to leave a review letting me know if you liked the new outfit!**

* * *

As Naruto walked out of the bathroom, Kakashi said in a silent voice, "It looks pretty good." Naruto nodded in agreement, and noticed that Sakura was examining him. She must be wondering if it fit ok. It was the outfit she had made after all. Naruto said in a hushed voice, "It fits fine Sakura…" Sakura froze for a second before turning away to hide a slight blush that had crept up to her cheeks. She knew that by now he had to have figured out that she had made it.

Naruto gave a small smile then said in a firm voice, "Now where's Sasuke?"

* * *

As the three walked into the hospital room, they noticed that Shizune was the only one there. She noticed Naruto was not only back on his feet, but that he was sporting a new jumpsuit. She looked at him and said, "Already back in action, huh?" Naruto smiled and nodded.

Shizune squinted her eyes and said with a dubious smile, "So where'd you get that jumpsuit from?" She already had her suspicions, but she couldn't be sure. Naruto replied with a barely noticeable grin. "From a comrade." Kakashi gave a slight grin as Sakura tried to keep her face neutral.

Shizune gave a small smile. She was satisfied with the answer so she decided to get to what they had all came for. She turned to Sasuke who was lying on the hospital bed in his normal clothes. She said in a soft voice, "We don't know what to do. He seems to be in great physical condition, but he just…won't wake up…"

Naruto looked at Sasuke's body and said, "It's probably because of the jutsu he used. The Rinne Rebirth jutsu reverses death. We still don't understand it fully. All I know is that the first time I saw it used, Nagato used it to bring everyone who had died in the village back to life, kinda like what Sasuke did…" An eerie silence fell over the room. Naruto looked around at everyone and asked in an inquisitive voice, "What is it?..."

Kakashi said in a solemn voice, "Unfortunately, Sasuke wasn't able to bring everyone back." Naruto's eyes widened as Kakashi continued. "We think he accidentally stopped the jutsu early due to exhaustion…"

Naruto was left spechless. After a few moments, he said, "How many didn't come back?…" Kakashi replied, "50 people. A few shinobi, mostly civilians though. The funeral was held yesterday." As Naruto stood there thinking about what had happened, he balled up his fist in anger.

After a short pause, Kakashi broke into the silence and said, "We can't do anything for them now. Let's try to save the life that still has a chance." Sakura and Shizune nodded, then after a short pause, Naruto nodded as well.

He walked over to Sasuke then activated his SoSP mode and placed one hand on Sasuke's chest. He turned to the other three in the room, then said, "Let's hope this works…"

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	28. Return

Ch. 28

Sasuke woke up in a startled state. He found himself in a large expanse of blue water and quickly hurried to his feet. He looked around and noticed that the place looked and felt familiar to him, then he heard a voice behind him, "Hello, my son."

Sasuke quickly turned around to see none other than the Sage of Six Paths. He was floating over the water as usual and looked the exact same as he did in the war.

He said in a silent voice, "You're Hagoromo Otsutsuki. The Sage of Six Paths….."

Hagoromo replied with a simple, "Yes."

Sasuke paused for a moment then said, "…So does this mean I'm dead?"

Hagaromo gave a small smile as he remembered when Naruto had thought the same thing, then said, "No… but you are close."

Sasuke said in a questioning voice, "What does that mean?"

Hagoromo turned serious, then said, "You're soul is teetering between life and death."

Sasuke listened very attentively as Hagaromo continued. "The Rinne Rebirth jutsu you used is the cause for this. That jutsu trades the soul of the user so that the souls of others may be reborn. The reason you're stuck between life and death is because the Rinne Rebirth jutsu is tugging at your soul. Some have tried to delay or negate this effect, but it is very rare to actually successfully do so. When the user _willingly_ gives their life, it maintains balance in the world you live in. When Naruto used his Yin Yang Release to try to prevent your death, he unknowingly upset that balance. That is why your soul is stuck between life and death. On the one hand, he returned life to your physical body, but on the other hand, he was not able to completely stop the effects of the jutsu on your soul. The only reason you've woken up here is because he's once again trying to bring you back."

After a short pause, Sasuke asked, "Can he do it?" Hagoromo looked out over the water and said in a silent voice, "Not on his own…"

Sasuke remained pensive for a few moments, then looked over to Hagoromo and said, "But with your help, he can?..."

Hagoromo turned back to Sasuke and said, "Yes…" then, with a pensive expression, he said, "The question is do you want to go back?..."

Sasuke replied, "Why wouldn't I?" Hagaromo looked out over the water and said, "You tell me."

He turned back to Sasuke and said, "I've been watching you Sasuke. Ever since you and Naruto fought at the Valley, I've watched you live in peace… I've also watched you live with no real purpose and no friends. Dispirited. Unhappy. Alone…"

Sasuke slowly looked out over the water as Hagoromo continued. "I know that your lifestyle is your way of punishing yourself for your sins, and that you performing the Rinne Rebirth was partially due to your quest for redemption."

Sasuke said in a low voice, "At least I've done something to make up for my sins…"

Hagoromo paused, then continued. "What if I told you that your redemptive efforts weren't a complete success." Sasuke quickly turned to Hagoromo and said, "What do you mean by that?..."

Hagoromo looked out over the water and said, "You were too exhausted to complete the jutsu. 50 souls did not return to the realm of the living." Sasuke just stood there in shock. He slowly dropped his head and looked down into his reflection in the water as he realized he had blown his one shot at redemption.

After a long pause, Hagoromo looked at him and said, "So now that you've failed to redeem yourself, do you really want to continue living?..."

Sasuke stood there completely silent. Hagoromo looked at him with a glint of pity, then decided to give him a moment to collect his thoughts.

After a few more seconds, Hagoromo said, "You still have a decision to make…"

Sasuke remained silent for a little, then said, "I'll go back…then I'll bring back the 50 that didn't return."

Hagaromo said in a grave voice, "If you use that jutsu again, the tug on your soul will be too great for even me to overcome. You will die…"

Sasuke looked out over the water and said, "My life isn't worth that much…"

Hagoromo paused for a moment, then let out a small sigh. He looked directly at Sasuke and said, "I'm afraid you've missed the point that I'm trying to show you."

Sasuke stood there silent as Hagoromo spoke in a softer voice, "My son, life revolves around change. It can be painful, it can be beautiful, and it can be a lot of other things. A lot of times, it's a mix of everything, but right now you have the ability to decide what you want your life to be. You can learn from your past to better focus on the future, or you can live your whole life trying to redeem yourself by living a life of pain. Pain is a part of every man's journey. You can't escape it, but you can choose to not let it blind you to the point where you let it encompass your whole journey."

Sasuke continued to look out over the water although he was paying attention.

Hagoromo continued, "You speak of reviving the 50 who lost their lives, but what is the point of protecting life if you've lost your sense of how to live it. Right now, life means very little to you..."

Hagoromo paused then said in a more firm voice, "You do not have to be defined by your past. You can _choose_ a different future. Do not let what you've done define who you are. Let what you do define who you are. I've watched you punish yourself for your past sins. I've watched you isolate yourself from the world. I've watched you cut off all who would seek to help you, all in the hopes of finally resolving this conflict going on inside of you. But we both know that you'll never be able to do enough. You'll always have that drive to do more, but you'll never do enough to redeem yourself…not in your own eyes…"

Sasuke looked out over the water for a long time as he thought about what Hagoromo had said. He knew Hagoromo was right. Even if he did successfully bring back everyone, it still wouldn't have been enough. He would never be able to do enough. He would never be able to redeem himself no matter what he did.

There was the smallest of tears forming in his right eye, but he seemed to have the uncanny ability of stopping it from falling.

After a while, he turned to Hagoromo and said, "What would you have me do?..."

Hagaromo looked directly at him and said in a resolute voice, "Learn from the past. Live for the future. A true shinobi is made in the moment. Not from questioning the past or living in its shadow." Sasuke thought about what Hagoromo had said, then looked down into his reflection.

Hagoromo gave Sasuke a moment to gather his thoughts, then looked at him. He was now looking out across the water pensively.

After a few moments of examining him, Hagoromo looked out over the water and said, "New threats are on the horizon. The shinobi world will need all the help it can get…"

Sasuke thought for a second, then replied. "If you're talking about Hikan, he's powerful, but he's not as powerful as Naruto."

Hagoromo replied, "He's not physically as powerful as you either. That isn't the issue. I've seen many different shinobi from different generations. Do not underestimate him."

Sasuke said in an inquisitive voice, "What are you trying to say?"

Hagoromo looked out over the water, then said in a grave voice, "I'm saying that when a Rinnegan wielder seemingly comes out of nowhere, you should be very careful..."

Sasuke looked at him inquisitvely, then after a short pause, Hagoromo said, "Enough about Hikan. The question is, what will you do?...Will you go back and continue to live in the shadow of your past? Or will you go back and live for the future? Or maybe you won't go back at all..."

Sasuke remained silent for a while as he thought about what he would do. Hagoromo could see that this wasn't an easy decision for him, but it was a decision that he had to make nonetheless.

After a few more moments, Sasuke looked out over the water and said, "…I'll live for the future… And I'll make sure that the 50 people who lost their lives didn't do so in vain."

Hagoromo smiled for a moment, then said, "I'm glad to hear that." Then, after a short pause, he said, "Know that I am proud of you, and that your actions have shown that I was right to trust you with my power…"

Sasuke half-smiled then gave a respectful nod.

Hagoromo stretched his arm towards Sasuke and said, "Now give me your left hand. Naruto has been trying to get you back for some time now." Hagoromo gave a small smirk, then said, "We wouldn't want to keep him waiting…" Sasuke returned the smirk, then reached out and took Hagoromo's hand. He felt a surge of energy shoot through his left arm, then he turned to Hagoromo and said in a hushed voice, "Thank you." The Sage wore a content grin then nodded.

As the area around them started turning a bright white color, Hagoromo said to Sasuke, "I hope that you will use all that you've learned today to help others…" Sasuke already knew what he was talking about.

Hagoromo said in a soft voice, "Life hasn't been too kind to your brother has it?..." Sasuke slowly shook his head.

After a few seconds, Hagoromo said, "In any case, tell him I said…" the Sage paused for a second, then said with a smile, "What's up!..." Sasuke smiled at the language change and gave Hagoromo a short nod. Soon after, the white light intensified to the point where Sasuke could feel his whole body being engulfed in a white energy. Right when the white light reached its brightest, it completely disappeared and Sasuke was gone.

* * *

Naruto now had his left hand over Sasuke's chest. After a little while, he turned to everyone in the room and said, "I can feel something…" As soon as he said that, a dark moon appeared on Sasuke's left hand and started glowing. Naruto looked down to his right arm and saw that a glowing yellow sun had already appeared on his right hand.

He thought to himself for a moment, then grabbed Sasuke's left hand with his right hand. "Come on, Sasuke…"

After a few tense moments of anticipation, Sasuke eyes popped open, startling Naruto.

"Sasuke!"

As a fully conscious Sasuke started looking around, everyone in the room stood in stunned silence.

After a short pause, Sasuke broke the silence with a smile as he said, "You still say it the same way Naruto. Astonishment, mixed with hint of disbelief…but with a hopeful finish…"

Kakashi said in a hushed voice, "It actually worked…" Shizune and Sakura were left speechless. They couldn't figure out what was wrong with him, but Naruto had only been there a few minutes, and he was able to wake him up.

Naruto wore an expression of slight shock and said in a quiet voice, "I actually did it…"

Sasuke said in a contemplative voice, "Not on your own…"

As all eyes focused on Sasuke, he sat up in the bed, then looked over to Naruto and said, "I met the Sage of Six Paths…"

As everyone's eyes widened, Naruto said, "No way!… You met the old geezer again?…"

Sasuke smirked, then nodded and continued, "He told me that the Rinne Rebirth jutsu basically trades the soul of the user to maintain balance in our world and that I was teetering between life and death because the jutsu was tugging at my soul. That's why I couldn't wake up. You were able to stop the effects of the jutsu on my physical body, but you weren't able to completely stop its effects on my soul."

As looks of understanding crossed the faces of everyone present, Naruto said, "Ohhh. So that's why you couldn't wake up…" Sasuke gave a small nod then said, "He helped you bring me back. You couldn't do it on your own."

Naruto nodded then said, "That makes sense. It felt like someone else was helping me out…"

After a short pause, Sasuke said with a smirk, "He also wanted me to tell you… 'What's up'..." Naruto let out a small chuckle as he remembered the first time he met the Sage. The Sage had shown an uncanny ability to match the speech patterns of anyone he was talking to. He obviously hadn't forgotten about Naruto's informal way of speaking.

After a moment of silence, Naruto said, "So was he still the same as he was back in the war?..."

Sasuke nodded and said, "Yeah…" then paused to look out the window as he whispered, "Still the same…"

Naruto looked at Sasuke and noticed something was different. He wasn't sure what it was, but he could tell something was up. Maybe something else had happened when he met the Sage that he wasn't sharing.

"So was that all you guys talked about?" said Naruto in a voice that tried to hide his curiosity.

Sasuke continued to look out the window. He could see a large portion of Konoha. It looked even more beautiful than it usually did bacuase of the sunset. Sasuke turned to Naruto and said, "No…" then turned away and said in a low voice, "…but I don't wanna talk about it."

Kakashi mentally said to himself, _'So they did talk about something else…'_

Sakura was a little taken aback. She thought Sasuke looked normal enough, but somehow Naruto could see something was wrong when she couldn't.

Naruto said in a low voice, "Ok." He didn't want Sasuke to feel pressured into telling him anything. The dude had just almost died. He at least deserved a little break.

After a few moments of silence, Naruto said in a semi-jovial voice, "Well, we're glad to have you back…"

Sasuke just sat there staring out the window.

Naruto looked at Sasuke with a little more concern, then said in an unsure voice, "Are you sure you're ok?..."

A full minute passed by as Naruto waited for an answer. He could tell that Sasuke had heard him, so his prolonged silence must be because he was thinking of an answer.

As Sasuke continued to look out over Konoha, he half-smiled and said in a silent voice, "I'm home…"

Everyone's eyes widened at the implications of his statement, then Naruto said in a silent, questioning voice, "Does that mean?..."

Sasuke was waiting for him to finish the sentence, but turned from the window and saw that he was just squinting his eyes questioningly.

Sasuke wore a small smirk, then laid his head back on the pillow and said, "I think I'll stick around…"

As the faces of everyone in the room dawned with the realization that Sasuke was planning on staying in the village, Naruto let out a loud, "YATTA!" As he let out a cheesy grin and threw his two balled up fists into the air.

Shizune stood there in shock while Sakura stood there with her mouth gaping open. Sasuke did just have a near death experience, but this was still a quick, unexpected change. She found herself wondering just what had happened when he met the Sage.

Kakashi was shocked at the quick turnaround in Sasuke's attitude. Last time he talked to him, he was determined to leave after they had dealt with Hikan, but now he was planning on staying indefinitely. There had to be a lot more to his meeting with the Sage than he was letting on. Despite his shock, he couldn't help smiling under his mask. Not only was he glad that Sasuke seemed to have made peace with the past, he was happy to see the old Naruto. It was the first time in a long time that he'd seen him acting completely like his old self. ANBU Naruto wouldn't joyfully punch the air, but this new development had brought him such joy that the old Naruto was finally able to break through. Naruto had already regained his composure, but Kakashi still found himself a little more hopeful for the future.

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	29. Traces of the Past

Ch. 29

Tsunade was strolling through the hospital, looking for Kakashi. She had to talk to him about something important, but she couldn't find him. She had checked Naruto's room, but no one was there. She wasn't too surprised. She knew that if Naruto woke up, he wouldn't be able to sit still. That's why she had sedated him. The next logical place to check was Sasuke's room.

She finally arrived at the hospital room and noticed there was a palpable joy in the room. Her eyes widened as she saw Sasuke lying down with his eyes open. "Sasuke?!" Everyone turned to see Tsunade standing in the doorway. After a brief respite, she said, "How are you awake?..."

After a moment of silence, Kakashi decided to try to explain things. He said, "Naruto decided to try to use Yin Yang Release to wake him up…"

Kakashi paused for a second, then said, "Actually, let me explain this another way. It turns out that the Rinne Rebirth jutsu trades the soul of the user to release the souls of the departed. When Naruto tried to save Sasuke, he was able to stop the effects of the jutsu on his body. That's why he remained in great physical condition. However, he wasn't able to completely stop the effects of the jutsu on Sasuke's soul..."

Tsunade looked a little confused and said, "How do you guys know all this?..." Kakashi replied, "Sasuke met the Sage of Six Paths…" Tsunade's eyes widened at that news before Kakashi continued. "He's the one who told Sasuke all of this. It turns out the jutsu was tugging at Sasuke's soul. Naruto couldn't get him back on his own, so the Sage of Six Paths helped…" Tsunade just stood there dumbfounded. She was in a council meeting for a little over half an hour, and so much had already happened. After recovering from her shock, she walked over to Sasuke's bed and gave him a quick look over. He seemed to be in even better condition than he was before.

She took a step back then said, "You look like you're in even better shape than before…" Sasuke just nodded as he wore one of his usual blank stares.

After a few more seconds, Tsunade said, "Fine. You get my clean bill of health." Then her head quickly swiveled to Naruto. "You on the other hand…" Naruto gave an uncomfortable smile, then put both of his hands up in a defensive position and said, "I'm fine, Baa-chan…"

Tsunade froze for a second before quickly regaining her composure. She started to think to herself, _'Something else had to have happened that I don't know about. Naruto doesn't use affectionate names anymore. I can't remember the last time he called me that. On top of that, he seems to be in a good mood. Maybe it's the new jumpsuit… Nah, if he was happy about it, he wouldn't show it… especially since it was Sakura who made it. HOLD ON A SECOND! HE'S WEARING THE NEW JUMPSUIT!' _

Tsunade thought about using the jumpsuit to tease Naruto, but she realized she still hadn't found out what had everyone in such a good mood. She would have to save teasing Naruto for later. She started thinking about what could've happened to put everyone in such a good mood. Everyone seemed almost jittery. Like there was an electricity in the air. Not only that, Naruto and Sasuke were silently chatting up a storm. It was actually a little weird to see Sasuke chatting up a storm with someone else like a normal human being. He was always so blank faced and stoic, but somehow, Naruto was one of the few people he could just talk to. She shook her head and gave a small smile before turning to look at Sakura and Shizune. Their conversation looked a little less spirited. Whatever was going on was probably related to Naruto and/or Sasuke.

Maybe Naruto had completely gone back to normal and that's why everyone was so happy...Ok that was a stretch.

Tsunade felt herself getting a headache and thought to herself, _'I'll just ask Kakashi…'_

Tsunade stepped outside, then motioned for Kakashi to join her. As he stepped outside, she said in a whisper, "Am I missing something?..."

Kakashi nodded in Sasuke's direction and said, "He's decided to stay in Konoha… indefinitely…" Tsunade's head swiveled to Kakashi as she said, "NANIIIII?!" Kakashi gave a slight smirk and said, "Yeah… I don't know what happened when he met the Sage, but whatever it was… it was enough to make him change his mind…" Tsunade wore a perplexed look as she pondered what may have happened, but before she could think of much more, Kakashi said in a firm voice, "Let's just be glad that whatever happened with the Sage, happened."

Tsunade slowly nodded then said with a smile, "That explains Naruto's chipper mood…" as she looked over to Kakashi.

Kakashi gave a small smile and nodded in agreement. After a short pause, he said in a hushed voice, "I think because we knew he was angry with Sakura, we just assumed that it was the only reason he's been acting so closed off all these years. But based on his attitude since Sasuke's arrival, I think their final battle had an impact on his attitude as well. Since Sasuke's return, he's changed...for the better..." Tsunade nodded in agreement as she looked into the room at Naruto who was being a lot more social than usual.

After a few seconds, Tsunade thought to herself then squinted her eyes at Kakashi. "By the way, when did Sakura give Naruto the outfit she made? Last time I saw her, she looked like she'd never muster up the nerve to give it to him..."

Kakashi paused, then smiled under his mask and said, "I may have given her a leg up…"

Tsunade shook her head and said, "You just can't stop yourself from meddling can you?..."

Kakashi paused for a few seconds, then smiled and said, "Not when it helps people I care about."

Tsunade paused for a second, then gave a small smile. Kakashi used to have this mysteriously dark persona because of his dark past, but that all changed when he started leading the famed Team 7. Leading that team had brought out the light side of him that he had lost so long ago. He had grown to deeply care about them and he was willing to completely break that dark, mysterious persona if it meant helping them. Tsunade was sure that in his heart of hearts, Kakashi considered himself to be something like a father to them.

After a moment of prolonged silence, Tsunade remembered what she had originally come to tell Kakashi. She turned to Kakashi and said, "As much as I want to celebrate Sasuke's return, we have some things to discuss." Kakashi said in a semi-concerned voice, "What happened?..." Tsunade looked into the hospital room and said, "It'll be better if everyone hears. Tell Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura to head to my office. We're going to have a meeting in 15 minutes." Kakashi nodded then walked into the room to relay the information. Tsunade decided to start heading towards her office. Hopefully she could get a swig of Sake before anyone else had arrived.

Shizune stayed at the hospital while Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura headed to Tsunade's office.

* * *

As the three journeyed onto the main path, Naruto noticed he was getting passing glances from some of the villagers. Sasuke noticed that he was getting some stares as well. The constant staring of the villagers created an awkward atmosphere between the four. They were staring at Naruto because of his new jumpsuit and they were staring at Sasuke not only because he was the former rogue ninja Sasuke Uchiha, but also because he was Sasuke Uchiha, with white hair.

Sasuke decided to relieve some of the tension by saying to Naruto, "Cool outfit." Naruto looked a little taken aback, but replied with a small smile, "Thanks…"

After a short pause, Sasuke said, "Who made it?..." He was already pretty sure it was Sakura, but he just asked to continue the conversation. As much as he liked silence, the constant staring was getting to him a bit.

Sakura heard what Sasuke had asked and was really hoping that Naruto would just find a way to drop the subject. She felt embarrassed enough as it was. Now Sasuke was about to find out she had made Naruto an outfit...if he hadn't figured it out already.

Naruto gave a small smirk, then nodded in Kakashi's direction and replied, "He said it was a villager that wanted to remain anonymous…" Sakura unconsciously started to slowly nod as she hoped Sasuke would leave it at that. Sasuke gave a small snort as he glanced at Kakashi who was conveniently reading Ichi Ichi Paradise.

Sasuke turned to once again face forward. He thought to himself that Naruto couldn't be that clueless. He had to know Sakura made it... right?...

After a few seconds, Sasuke found himself a little curious as to whether Naruto could really be that dense. He turned to Naruto and said, "So you have no idea who made it?…"

Naruto gave a small snicker and said in a low voice, "I never said that…"

Sakura could feel her face tinge with pink. The two of them were talking like she wasn't even there. This was all Kakashi's fault. If he had let her give Naruto the jumpsuit on her own time, none of this would be happening. She cast Kakashi a death stare. He was still conveniently reading Ichi Ichi Paradise, and looking more enraptured by the second. He wasn't fooling anybody. He'd been listening to the conversation the whole time. Sakura gave him a small eye squint. She'd deal with him later…

Sasuke relaxed a little. At least Naruto wasn't that dumb. Sasuke smirked, then said in a low voice, "If you couldn't figure that one out, you'd be a real dobe…"

"So are you saying you don't really think I'm a dobe?..." said Naruto in an inquisitive, but semi-playful voice.

Sasuke said, "Let me rephrase that. You'd be even more of a dobe."

Naruto turned to Sasuke and let out a sarcastic, "Hahaha…" Sasuke smirked and kept looking forward.

Sakura wasn't enjoying the attention her jumpsuit was getting, but they seemed to be moving away from that topic. As she watched the two converse, she looked at them with a glint of admiration. It was like old times… except for the fact that she wasn't included. That was her own fault though… She slightly dropped her head as she once again remembered why things couldn't go completely back to normal. She was about to lose herself in her thoughts when she heard Naruto say, "I think the villagers like my jumpsuit and your hair…"

Sakura decided to pay attention to the conversation that was about to unfold. It was better than letting her thoughts start beating her up.

Sasuke replied to Naruto with a smirk, "Hopefully it'll be gone soon." Naruto eyes turned into inquisitive circles as he pointed to Sasuke's hair and said, "You mean it won't stay like that?..."

Sasuke said, "With any luck, it'll grow back black instead of gray." Naruto gave a mischievous smile and said, "Afraid that you won't be able to get as much attention from girls if you're hair's gray?..." Sasuke snorted and said, "No, I'll be fine... Let's just be glad you're hair didn't turn gray, I'd be very scared for your future…"

Sakura let out a silent snort while Kakashi lifted his book up to his face to hide his reaction.

Naruto slowly squinted his eyes and turned to Sasuke as he realized what Sasuke was actually saying. A small vein formed on his temple as he said, "Look who died and woke up a comedian…"

Sasuke smirked and didn't say a word.

After a few minutes of walking, Naruto wore a dubious smile and winked at Sasuke. Sasuke looked a little taken aback but just nodded back. He had no idea what Naruto was up to, but he remembered that Naruto winking meant he had some type of weird plan.

After a short while, Sasuke turned to Sakura and gave her a silent stare for a few seconds. As he looked away, Sakura found herself wondering what was going on. Naruto and Sasuke had been talking almost the whole walk, but they suddenly fell silent. Maybe they were planning something.

After a few more seconds of silence, Naruto turned to Sasuke and said, "In all seriousness, do you really think your hair is gonna grow back black?..." Sasuke paused, then said, "I hope so..." Naruto said, "Yeah me too. You look like a grandpa…"

Sasuke smirked as he realized that Naruto was just trying to mess with Kakashi. Kakashi was somewhat sensitive about his hair, so Naruto must be trying to get under his skin to get his head out of that book that he was pretending to read.

Sasuke decided to reply in a serious voice, "Yeah, I do look pretty old, and it's almost like the hair makes me feel older too…"

Kakashi slowly lowered his book so that just his eyes were peeping over the top.

Sakura noticed Kakashi was now paying attention and realized that the two were just trying to get under his skin. Perfect! She had her own issues with him so she'd join in and make sure to make his skin crawl. He was very proud of his hair, and throwing rocks at it indirectly was an excellent way to get under his skin.

She hid her devious expression and said in a carefree voice, "Yeah, you do look old. It'd probably be better if you went bald…"

As soon as she said that, she saw Naruto's cheeks slightly puff up as he tried not to laugh at the mental image of Sasuke being bald. That only made it harder for her not to laugh. Sasuke was struggling as well, but managed to say in as serious of a voice as he could muster, "I think I could actually make bald work…"

Now Naruto and Sakura were trying even harder not to laugh. Naruto's cheeks started puffing out more while Sakura looked away from Kakashi so he couldn't see her struggling not to laugh.

After regaining his composure, Naruto said with a squint of his eyes, "Yeah, going bald might not be a bad idea. White hair sucks. At least if you were bald, you'd be our best bald shinobi…"

A small vein started forming at Kakashi's temple, then Sakura decided to make things worse, "I think Naruto's right. Bald is the way to go. Right now you look as old as Kakashi-Sensei."

Kakashi finally lowered the book down below his chin. He could deal with them constantly bashing white hair in general, but now they had mentioned his name.

He turned to Sasuke and said in as calm of a voice as he could muster, "For the record, I think you're hair looks spectacular, Sasuke… I think going bald would be a little extreme. You could try a variety of styles... I mean, my hair is white and I always get compliments because of how it looks." he said with a hint of pride.

Sasuke smirked at Naruto. Success. Sasuke looked forward as he wore a slight grin, then said, "Those people who complimented you, did they rank below you?..."

As Kakashi let out an annoyed eye squint in Sasuke's direction, Sakura let out a very audible giggle, then Naruto inhaled hard to try not to laugh. It was no use. After a few more seconds, he burst out into laughter. Kakashi looked at him and Sakura who were now laughing, then to Sasuke who was smiling so much that it looked abnormal. Kakashi squinted his one eye, then said, "I see… This was all just a ploy to get under my skin…"

Naruto said in a jovial voice, "By acting like you were reading, you kinda made yourself a target." Naruto turned to Kakashi and said in a mocking voice, "A ninja must be able to see through deception..."

Kakashi said, "Touché" as he realized that everything was simply for fun.

He wore a small smile and said, "Well done…" After a short pause, he smiled and said in a jovial voice, "The bald part was what really got me…"

Naruto let out a chuckle, then said, "That was a good one, Sakura…" Sakura wore a small smile then looked down sheepishly. Things weren't perfect between them, but at least they could talk to each other.

The four continued to talk as they walked down the road. After a while, they finally reached the Hokage's office and walked in. They made their way to Tsunade's office and opened the door to find her already there putting away a bottle of Sake. Kakashi just looked at her with droopy eyes.

She froze for a second, then decided to just wave for them to all come in. They all knew she had her little secret stash anyway.

She sat down behind her desk, then reached under it and pulled out a small box. She placed it on her desk, then said, "We have some things to discuss…"

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	30. Briefing

Ch. 30

Tsunade looked around at the four nin, then said, "Let's start with Sasuke…"

As everyone waited in anticipation to see what Tsunade was going to say, she pulled the cover off the box on the table. Inside was a new Konoha headband. She picked it up and held it out to Sasuke. "Due to your actions recently, the council considers you to be not only a powerful shinobi, but also a trustworthy one... They're willing to reinstate you as a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf."

Kakashi looked a little taken aback and Sakura looked to be in a more shocked state. Naruto looked shocked, but in a joyful way.

Tsunade continued, "I was originally supposed to ask you if you wanted to return to the village after you woke up, but you're awake now and Kakashi has informed me that you've already decided to come back."

Sasuke looked at the headband and slowly took it from Tsunade. As he stared down at it, he saw Naruto handing him something out of the corner of his eye. He turned and looked down to see that it was his old headband.

Sasuke looked at him and said, "You've kept that all this time?" Naruto smiled and said, "Of course I did. I never throw away good memories…"

After a small pause, Sasuke gave a small smirk then said, "Fine, I'll hang onto it…"

Kakashi and Sakura wore small smiles as they took in the moment.

Tsunade wore a smile as well, but as much as she wanted to bask in this once in a lifetime moment, she still had tons of stuff she had to bring them up to speed on.

She said in a firm voice, "Now that that's settled, I, Tsunade, the 5th Hokage, reinstate you as a official shinobi of the Hidden Leaf." Sasuke nodded then placed the new headband on his head. He looked down at his old headband for a second, then tied it around his upper left arm using only his right hand.

Naruto said in a semi-confused voice, "You're gonna wear both of them at the same time?"

Sasuke looked down to his left arm at his old headband as he replied. "Yeah. This one so that I don't forget the past," then he looked up to his new headband and said, "and this one so that I remember to focus on the future… I may be moving ahead with my life, but that doesn't mean I'm letting go of everything that came before…"

Kakashi and Tsunade glanced at each other, Naruto wore a pensive expression, and Sakura looked like she was in a pensive state of admiration. Sasuke had finally been able to move on with his life. Somehow he had been able to move on from his dark past and focus on the future. Whatever happened with the Sage had to have been pretty extreme…

Tsunade decided to break the silence that was hanging over the room and get back to relaying the intel. "Great! Now that you're officially Leaf shinobi, let's bring you and Naruto up to speed." The two nodded as Tsunade continued. "First off, there's unrest in the area surrounding the Sound…" She nodded in Kakashi's direction and gave him the floor.

Kakashi nodded, then said, "When my team got dropped off at the Sound, we found out that around half of the population had left after the news of Orochimaru's death…"

Sasuke gave a small eye squint while Naruto's eyes widened. Naruto looked at Kakashi and said in a confused voice, "Where did they go?..."

Kakashi replied, "Right now, they're causing unrest in the surrounding villages. The Hot Water, Frost, and Waterfalls villages are being attacked at random by some of these shinobi and it has been rumored that a group of them is headed to the Rain to try to take down Hikan, which we know would be a suicide mission. The villages under attack are faring pretty well, but they're on edge, especially since they have to protect their civilians who aren't shinobi."

Naruto said, "So at this point, the Sound shinobi are just annoying to have to deal with?... "

Kakashi replied, "That and they're causing unrest in the surrounding villages. Villages like the Stone and the Grass are wondering if they'll be attacked next, so they're on high alert."

Naruto and Sasuke gave nods of understanding, then Kakashi continued. "The people who didn't leave the Sound are being led by Suigetsu, Jugo and Karin, although they don't have the iron grip Orochimaru had…" Naruto nodded in understanding while Sasuke let out a small grunt.

Kakashi turned to Tsunade, then said, "I think that's everything I needed to say…"

Tsunade looked at Naruto and Sasuke, then said, "Any questions?" Naruto and Sasuke both looked at each other, then nodded to show that they didn't have anything to ask.

Tsunade nodded, then said, "Next issue. We recently had to send word to all of the villages, letting them know that Sasuke had returned to the village. We had to let them know so that we could clear his name in regards with Hikan's attack. Needless to say, they were pretty angry that we didn't feel obliged to share; however, most do believe that he had nothing to do with the attack two days ago. We have his aid at the Cloud and Stone to thank for that. Most villages have Hikan as their leading suspect. Problem is nobody has any proof that it's him and he's denying all allegations. He has the support of the people of the Rain so our hands are tied…"

Sasuke wore one of his usual blank expressions while Naruto let out an audible sigh, then said, "He's been a step ahead of us this whole time…"

A small silence fell over the room. After a while, Tsunade said, "Yeah… He's covered all of his bases… We can't make a move….. What's worse is all of the villages are now on edge because if he had the audacity to attack us, he could attack anybody…"

As the deafening silence dragged on, Kakashi said, "Let's move on…"

Tsunade gave a slight nod then said, "Last thing… When Hikan came here, he told me to deliver a message."

Tsunade now had Naruto and Sasuke's full attention. She let out a small sigh, then said, "He wanted us to know that the attack on the village wasn't personal." Sasuke slightly tilted his head to the side while Naruto said, "What?..."

Tsunade shook her head and said, "Yeah, he said the only reason he attacked was to get a message across. He said that the peace we're working so hard for, it's not worth it. He called it a 'false' peace or a façade."

Naruto said, "What does that mean?" Tsunade replied, "I have no idea, but he made sure to point out that it was our willingness to help others that left us so open to attack…"

As Naruto and Sasuke tried to make sense of the cryptic message, Kakashi said, "I think he's saying two things here. The first is that our willingness to help others can be a weakness, and the second is that the peace that we've been working for since the war isn't real."

Naruto said, "But that doesn't really let us know exactly what he's thinking… Those two things you just stated are general ideas…"

Tsunade said, "Yeah, we know. The only other thing we have to go on is that he also said he would put this false peace to the test…"

Sasuke turned to face Tsunade while Naruto wore a more concerned expression and said, "What does he mean by that?..."

After a long pause, Kakashi said, "We have no idea….."

Naruto let out a loud sigh as he put both hands behind his head and said, "What's this guy planning?..."

A prolonged silence fell over the room. Hikan had proven to be a serious threat and now he seemed to have some other plan that no one knew anything about.

After a few more seconds of silence, Naruto said in a semi-angry voice, "I wish I could just go over there and beat it out of him…"

Kakashi said, "So do we, but he's got a diplomatic barrier around him…"

As soon as Kakashi said that, the five heard a voice hiss from across the room, "Then use that to your advantage…"

The heads of the 5 nin swiveled to the doorway. The door was closed, but in front of it was a small white snake that was slowly transforming into a man… Orochimaru.

As looks of shock crossed everyone's faces, Sasuke said with a sneer, "I knew you had to still be alive you resilient son of a bitch…"

Orochimaru gave a small smile, then said, "What can I say… I'm always prepared for the worst, including my untimely demise… I'm glad you knew that…"

Everyone's faces grew stern as they realized the snake Sannin was back in the picture. Hopefully he hadn't come back just to cause more trouble.

Tsunade stood up behind her desk and said, "How'd you do it?..."

Orochimaru wagged a finger and said, "Sorry Tsunade. You should know by now that even my secrets have secrets…"

Kakashi said in a serious voice, "Why are you here?"

Orochimaru replied, "I'm not actually here to be honest. I'm currently back at the Sound reclaiming control, but if you're asking about the reason for my visit… I just wanted to give you all some advice…"

Kakashi quickly replied, "Why help us?"

Orochimaru replied in a voice that showed he expected them to already know the answer. "Well, Hikan double crossed me and you guys are the ones most likely to be able to stop him…"

After a short pause, Sasuke wore a smug grin and said, "Not as much fun when you're on the receiving end of a snake bite is it?..."

Orochimaru couldn't help but wear a small smile as he said, "Maybe not…but as you can see, the snakebite wasn't enough to kill me…"

Kakashi interrupted and said in a firm voice, "Get to the advice you were gonna give us."

Orochimaru smiled, then turned serious and said, "Hikan is an extremely intelligent shinobi. In all my time working with him, I never once knew any of his plans. However, there was one thing that he could not hide. His obsession with Naruto…"

Everyone in the room wore semi-confused expressions. After a few seconds, Naruto said, "But I thought he said this wasn't personal…"

Orochimaru looked over to a map of the shinobi world and said in a serious voice, "I don't know what this is to him. Maybe it's personal. Maybe it's not... Maybe it's a game to him..." He turned back to everyone in the room and said, "To be honest, I haven't the slightest idea what his endgame is, but I think that even I wouldn't like it, hence my visit..."

As a tense silence fell over the room, everyone started thinking about what Hikan's endgame could be. They had no idea and they needed answers.

Kakashi looked over to Orochimaru and said, "You said something about Naruto using the diplomatic barrier to our advantage when you first showed up… What did you mean by that?"

Orochimaru smiled, then said, "It's obvious… Naruto is the hero of the 4th Great Ninja War. That alone gives him a level of diplomatic power. The election ceremony for Hikan was held yesterday. Diplomatically, Naruto could be sent to congratulate Hikan on his election. His true goal; however, would be to get some answers from Hikan…"

Kakashi turned to Tsunade who was already looking at him. After a short pause, Naruto said, "It could work…"

After a few moments of pensive thought, Kakashi looked at Tsunade and said, "What do you think?..."

Tsunade gave a slight shoulder shrug and said, "I don't know what to think, but we need answers…"

As Kakashi stood there pondering the idea, Sasuke said in a firm voice, "Naruto has to do it, but if he does it, he has to do it alone…"

Tsunade replied in a semi-irate voice, "That's ridiculous! The only thing we know about Hikan is that he has a Sharingan, a Rinnegan, and he's dangerous, and you think the best idea is to send in Naruto _alone_? Maybe if he had a squad or someone accompanying him diplomatically, but surely we can't send him in alone?"

Kakashi looked at Sasuke as he waited for an answer.

Sasuke said in a monotone voice, "If anyone else goes with Naruto, Hikan will know even if we try to hide their presence. If he really is obsessed with Naruto, he'll be willing to talk to him…but only if he's alone. Not only that, if Naruto goes alone, it leaves more people here to defend the village in case of another attack."

Tsunade let out a sigh of exasperation. She was thinking about what Sasuke had said, but she was still unsure as to whether this was a good idea. Hikan was dangerous, calculating, precise... For all they knew, he could be ready for Naruto to arrive and already have a plan in place.

Kakashi stayed blank faced. He was obviously thinking about it, but his expression revealed nothing of what he was feeling.

Sakura wore an expression that showed her worry. Hikan was not only dangerous, but fearless. And now Naruto was thinking about going into his territory…alone.

After a few moments of silence, Orochimaru said, "Well, I've said all I have to say, so I'll leave you all to figure out what to do…" He noted the headband on Sasuke's forehead, then turned to him and said with a hiss, "Congratulations on your reinstatement…" Sasuke's expression remained the same, then the five watched as Orochimaru turned into a small white snake and forced himself under the office door.

After a few more moments of silence, Kakashi finally spoke up and said, "We have to make a decision…"

Tsunade paused, then said, "This is risky… Very risky…"

Naruto looked through the office window at Konoha. It was now nighttime and the city was lively with lights and sounds. The only place that looked bare was where Hikan had destroyed…

After a moment, he turned to Tsunade and said, "You're right. This is risky, but what if he's planning an attack against another village. Or even worse, another attack on _our_ village."

Naruto continued in a voice with a hint of urgency. "We _need_ any clues we can get as to what his next move will be. So although this is risky, he's too dangerous for us to not make a move. If he really is obsessed with me for some reason, then we have to use that to our advantage… So it's a risk I'm willing to take…"

Tsunade slowly sat down and looked over to Kakashi who was already looking at her. She could tell that he was already on board with the plan and that he was waiting for her opinion. She let out a small sigh then said, "Fine, but if we do this, we do it right…" Tsunade turned on her laptop and waited for it to start up.

Naruto said in an inquisitive voice, "What are you doing?..." Tsunade gave a slight head tilt and said, "I'm sending an official email to Amegakure. I'm letting them know that the hero of the 4th Great War will be arriving tomorrow morning to congratulate their new leader. If he wants to be a diplomat, we'll force him to play by diplomatic rules. We'll have the email as proof of goodwill so that he if he tries anything, we have our own diplomatic barrier…"

Naruto gave a small smile then slowly nodded. "I'll get ready to leave tonight."

As Naruto turned around, Tsunade said in a firm voice, "Naruto, you better be _very_ careful…" Naruto gave a firm nod then looked at everyone. Their faces showed that they understood the gravity of the situation. Kakashi looked serious, Sasuke looked pensive, and Sakura looked a little worried.

Naruto could understand everyone's tense mood, so he decided it would be best if he just left to get ready. He said in a low voice, "I'll go get my gear ready."

Kakashi said in a serious voice, "What you're wearing is fine. You're not going as ANBU, you're going as the war hero."

Naruto thought about it for a second then nodded. He had gotten so used to going on ANBU missions that he was in the habit of putting on his ANBU outfit whenever he had to leave the village. It felt like a nice change not to have to change into his ANBU uniform. He actually liked the new jumpsuit, so getting to keep wearing it was a plus. He looked over to the clock hanging on the wall. 7:35 PM. He let out a small sigh then said, "I'm gonna head back to my apartment. I'll hightail it to the Rain in the morning."

Sasuke said, "I'm gonna go meditate at the monument. Naruto, I'm still crashing with you later." Naruto responded with a simple nod.

Tsunade looked up from her computer and said, "Ok. I'll send the email by tonight. Rest up. You're gonna need it…" Naruto nodded as he walked over to the door and pulled it open. Sasuke walked out first, then Naruto followed. He stopped short of closing the door and looked at everyone one last time. He said in a reassuring voice, "Everything's gonna be ok…"

The statement didn't do that much to dispel the tension in the room, but it helped a little. As Naruto stepped out, he clenched one fist as he resolved himself to get some answers tomorrow.

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	31. Friendly Interactions

Ch. 31

As Naruto walked through the village, he decided to take in the sights, sounds and smells surrounding him. The nighttime atmosphere made the city seem more lively with the bright lights and bustling people. He was passing by the barbecue restaurant that the Konoha 11 used to eat at. He hadn't been all that social since the war, so he hadn't been there in a long time. He found himself wondering if they still went there without him. It still looked, smelled, and sounded the same. A beautiful exterior coupled with the sound of busy knives and the awesome smell of fresh grilled food. He decided he'd stop by sometime soon. Ichiraku was one of the few restaurants he still went to so he thought maybe he'd try to branch out a little more. Try some new things. He was sure that whatever restaurants he came across wouldn't be able to beat Ichiraku's, but it would still be fun to try some new things. For tonight, he resolved himself to just make some instant ramen he had at home. He needed to get his gear and his mind ready for tomorrow.

As he continued walking down the dirt road, he found himself wondering exactly what would happen tomorrow. He was finally gonna meet Hikan face to face. He had seen some pictures after his election, but he had never actually seen him in person. Tomorrow was going to be an eventful day for sure. Hopefully everything would go well and he would get some answers. If Hikan was planning something, they needed to know about it. He found himself feeling a little nervous. Hikan wasn't more powerful than him, but somehow he just had this…presence. Maybe it was because of his attack on the village. Maybe it was something else, but whatever it was, it didn't help that everyone looked so serious and concerned as he left the Hokage's office. Their worry was starting to rub off on him…

He stopped walking for a moment, then quickly shook his head and got ahold of himself. He needed to be ready for this meeting tomorrow, not letting the others worry him. Maybe he should've went to meditate with Sasuke…

As he kept thinking about what tomorrow may bring, he saw Ino walking towards him.

After she finally reached where he was, she gave him a small nudge and said, "Naruto! I heard you and Sasuke were awake, but I didn't expect to find one of you wandering the streets."

He gave a small smile as he scratched the back of his head and said, "Yeah, I'm fine now…"

She gave him an inquisitive look from head to toe, then said with a devious smile, "I like the new outifit…" Naruto let out a small chuckle and said, "Thanks."

After a few seconds, Ino raised an eyebrow and said, "So when did she give it to you?"

Naruto wore a small smile and said, "She actually didn't. When I woke up, Kakashi basically made sure I found it. You know he can't stop himself from meddling…"

Ino wore a small smile and said, "Figures. I thought she'd never give it you…"

Naruto gave a small smirk then said, "Technically, she didn't give it to me…" Ino let out a small chuckle and said, "I guess you're right…"

She examined him a little and noticed he was in a better mood than usual. He usually wouldn't hold a conversation for more than two seconds, but now he was holding conversation and he didn't seem like he was uncomfortable. Not only that, he was actually smiling some.

She gave a small smile and said, "So…What's got you in such a good mood…" She wore another devious grin and said, "Is it the new jumpsuit?..."

Naruto rapidly blinked for a second as he processed what she had just asked. He let out a small chuckle and said, "No, it's not the jumpsuit…although I'm sure you'd like that response." Ino glanced at Naruto and gave him a suspicious smirk. She wasn't sure he was telling the truth, but he looked honest enough.

Naruto thought to himself, then said, "Well, you're gonna hear about it eventually…" He motioned for her to come closer so he could whisper into her ear. As she tilted her ear towards him, he said in a hushed voice, "Sasuke got reinstated as an official Leaf shinobi…"

"NANIIIIII?!"

As everyone around them turned to look at them, Naruto said, "SSSSSHHHHH! Jeez! If I knew you'd react like that I might not have told you….."

After a short pause, Ino regained her composure and said, "No way…" Naruto nodded and said, "Yeah, when I tried to wake him up, he met the Sage of Six Paths. None of us knows exactly what happened, but when he came back, he was finally ready to move on from his past. The council already wanted to reinstate him because of what he did two days ago, so everything kinda fell into place."

Ino stood there in shock before saying, "Wow… Didn't see that one coming…"

Naruto paused for a second, then said in a nonchalant voice, "None of us did," then smiled and said, "but I'm not complaining…"

Ino smiled, then said, "So that's why you're in such a good mood..." Naruto gave a small smile and said, "Something like that…"

After a short pause, he looked in the direction of his apartment and said, "Well, I'll see you around…"

Ino thought to herself, then hesitated for a moment. After a few seconds, she decided to just speak her mind. "Actually, I'm meeting up with some of the members of the Konoha 11 at that barbecue place Choji likes…"

After a short pause, she hesitantly said, "I'm sure we could make room for one more…"

Naruto thought about it for a second, then wore a small smile and said, "Sorry, but I gotta try to rest up."

Ino quickly replied, "For what?!" You've been sleeping for most of the day..."

He squinted his eyes, then looked both ways and said, "You have to promise not to scream again…"

Ino looked at him curiously and said, "Fine…"

Naruto whispered into her ear, "I'm meeting Hikan tomorrow…" Surprisingly, Ino didn't let out a shocked scream like he thought she would. She let out a stunned, "What?..."

Naruto paused, then said in a more unsure voice, "I'm meeting Hikan tomorrow morning. We think he's planning something and we're not sure what, so we're gonna use my status as a war hero to get through the diplomatic barrier he has around him. Hopefully I can get some answers…"

Ino said, "Who's going with you?..."

Naruto scratched his head a little then said, "It's a solo mission…"

As Ino's eyes widened, she said, "You're meeting Hikan alone?..."

Naruto shrugged and said, "Yeah. Hopefully he's willing to at least talk to me so I can fish out some information."

Ino shook her head in confusion and asked, "Why would he talk to you?"

Naruto said, "Word is that he's obsessed with me." Naruto raised his hands and said, "Don't ask how we know that, we just do." Ino just let out a small sigh.

Naruto studied her and noticed that she looked pretty concerned. The last thing he wanted was for people to worry about him. He crossed his arms and said in a semi-annoyed voice, "You know you're probably the 5th person to look at me like that today…" Ino knocked herself out of it then said, "Sorry… It's just…he did-" she motioned to the direction of the crater, "that…"

Naruto looked in the general direction of the crater and said in a softer voice, "I know…but that's just proof that he's too dangerous for us to not know what he's planning…"

As much as Ino didn't want to admit it, Naruto was right. She looked at him and saw that he had resolved himself to do this. He had changed in many ways after the war, but he was still the same when he made up his mind to do something. She gave a small smirk and said, "You better rest well…" Naruto smiled and gave a silent nod.

After a few seconds of silence, he smiled and said, "You better get going. You wouldn't wanna be late. Choji might not leave any food for you…" Ino smiled and said, "Don't let him hear you say that…" Naruto smiled and gave a small wave as he walked away.

As Ino headed to the restaurant, she felt glad that Naruto seemed to be in a much better mood than he usually was. It was the closest she'd seen him to his old self since after the war. Sasuke's return had really brought up his mood. He looked like he might be healing a little. Slowly but surely.

* * *

Naruto finally reached his apartment. As he unlocked the door and walked inside, he took off his shoes and left them by the door, then collapsed onto the couch. He wasn't feeling tired, but he was wondering what he would do until he went to sleep. It wouldn't take too long to prep his gear and he didn't feel like meditating for such a long time all by himself. Maybe he should've went with Ino to the barbecue grill after all…

He shook his head as he realized there was no point in thinking about it now and just decided that he'd figure out the night as it went by. He stood up and started walking towards his cabinet. Time to make that instant ramen he was thinking about earlier. Right before he grabbed it, he heard a knock on his door. Who could be at his door now. Sasuke couldn't already be done meditating.

He pulled the door open and saw none other than Kakashi. He waved one arm as he greeted Naruto. "Yo."

"Kakashi-sensei. What are you doing here?..."

Kakashi looked into the house and saw that Naruto was the only one home. He looked at Naruto and said, "Tsunade is trying to go all out with this diplomacy thing so she wants me to take you to get a haircut. She said it'll make you look more mature…"

Naruto let both of his eyes droop to show that he was clearly annoyed.

Kakashi smirked, then said, "I'll also take you to Ichiraku's…but only if you agree to get a haircut…"

As much as Naruto wouldn't mind Ichiraku's and some company for the night, his hair was too high a price. He looked at a clock on his counter. 8:12 PM. Time to make up an excuse.

"Sorry, I gotta get some rest, you know I'm meeting Hikan tomorrow."

Kakashi looked at Naruto with a blank stare and said, "Naruto. You've been asleep for over half the day. You need to work off some of that energy or you won't be able to sleep tonight."

Naruto dropped his eyes and said, "And I suppose you want me to work off that energy with you?..."

Kakashi smiled and said, "Who better?"

Naruto wore a blank stare that showed he wasn't budging.

Kakashi gave a slight eye squint then said, "Do you want to know what's going to happen when you try to go to sleep tonight?..."

Naruto sighed and said, "Enlighten me…"

Kakashi lifted one finger and said,

"First you'll try to go to sleep.

Then you'll probably wonder why you can't fall asleep.

Then you'll remember what I said about you already having been asleep for the better half of the day and realize that that's why you can't get to sleep.

Then you'll regret not going out tonight.

Then you'll probably get mad because Sasuke is sleeping fine on the couch while you're stuck wide awake.

Then you're probably gonna lay in your bed thinking about the day ahead of you tomorrow.

Then you'll start thinking about meeting Hikan and all the ways that could go right…or wrong.

Then you're stomach's gonna start growling from not eating enough since you probably were planning on eating some instant ramen before going to bed.

Then-"

Naruto lifted both his hands with a smile and said, "OK. OK. You win Kakashi…" Kakashi smiled then put his finger down and said, "Good choice."

Naruto let out a small sigh then put on his shoes. When he was done, he jogged over to his counter and grabbed a key. He placed it under the mat in front of the door, then turned to Kakashi and said, "A key for if Sasuke comes back before I do." Kakashi nodded, then Naruto closed the door and the two of them started walking down the dirt road.

After they had taken a few steps, Naruto said, "You better not let the barber go crazy…" Kakashi smiled and said, "Of course not..."

* * *

Ino arrived at the barbeque grill and saw Choji and Shikamaru sitting at a large table. The other members of the Konoha 11 must not have arrived yet. Her meeting with Naruto had made her a little late so she thought she'd find more people there. Everyone else must've had their own delays.

As Ino sat down she said, "You guys won't believe what Naruto just told me!..."

Shikamaru said, "I heard he was recently released from the hospital and you already ran into him?" Ino replied with a small nod. Shikamaru shrugged then asked, "Is he ok?"

Ino gave a smile and waved her right hand, "He's fine! You know he has that healing factor. But get this, Sasuke's been reinstated as an official shinobi."

Choji almost choked on the rib he was eating while Shikamaru dropped his lazy attitude and sat up in his chair.

Shikamaru paused, then said in a calm voice, "I'm surprised he decided to come back. I was at the council meeting when they decided that he would be offered his position back, but I would've never thought he'd agree so quickly…"

Ino shrugged, then said, "Naruto said something about him meeting the Sage of Six Paths. No one knows exactly what happened, but when he woke up, he was ready to come back."

Shikamaru thought about just what might've happened when Sasuke met the Sage while Choji drank some water to try to force down the rib he was choking on.

After a short pause, Ino realized Shikamaru already knew the council was trying to get Sasuke back and didn't share. She gave him a gentle punch on the shoulder and said, "How could you know they were planning something like that and not tell us?..." Choji chimed in with a, "Yeah, we are teammates you know."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, then said, "It was supposed to be confidential." Ino shook her head and tilted it up to the side. "Naruto doesn't even talk as much as he used to, and he told me…"

Shikamaru snorted then said, "And now two more people know…" Ino squinted and said, "That's only cause I know I can trust you guys…" Shikamaru just gave a small shoulder shrug and returned to his relaxed position.

Ino looked at Shikamaru then wore a proud smile and said, "I bet I know something you don't know…" Shikamaru sighed and said, "Not likely… Unless Naruto was feeling talkative when you ran into him…"

Ino gave a small smile as Shikamaru watched out of the corner of his eye. Shikamaru sighed and said, "What is it?..."

Ino leaned in and said in a hushed voice, "Naruto's meeting Hikan tomorrow morning…"

Choji started choking on another piece of rib while Shikamaru quickly sat up and said, "What?!"

Ino looked serious and said, "Yeah. I was shocked too, but he's going whether we like it or not. For some reason, they think Hikan is planning something. Naruto said he's too dangerous for them not to investigate, so he's going as the war hero to get through Hikan's diplomatic barrier. He's hoping to get some answers."

Shikamaru said, "And why would Hikan feel inclined to talk to Naruto?..."

Ino shrugged and said, "For some reason, they think he's obsessed with Naruto…"

Shikamaru thought to himself and let out a small sigh. Another troublesome situation...

Choji finished his rib and said, "Whoa. He just got back on his feet and he's already heading out tomorrow… Guy's a trooper…"

Shikamaru sighed, then said, "He's Naruto… Let's hope he gets this done."

As he relaxed back into his seat, Ino and Choji nodded in agreement.

A little while after, they saw Sakura walking up to the table. After they exchanged greetings, Ino scooted her chair closer to Sakura and whispered in her ear, "I ran into Naruto. I assume you know everything that's going on…"

Sakura wore a poker face and said, "Depends on what everything is?" Ino gave her a suspicious glance and said, "Sasuke… Hikan…" Sakura smiled and gave a small nod. She was a little surprised Naruto had told Ino so much, but then again he never really cared about keeping secrets...unless they were his.

Ino let out a small sigh, then said, "Tomorrow might be a crazy day."

Sakura looked down and said, "Yeah," then said in a more unsure voice, "but he can take care of himself…"

Ino smiled and said, "You sounded like you were trying to convince yourself of that."

Sakura half-smiled and said, "Maybe…" Ino could feel the solemn mood that was hanging over them so she decided to switch up the conversation to something more lighthearted.

She raised an eyebrow and said in a jovial voice, "When I ran into Naruto, I was surprised to find him wearing your jumpsuit…" As Sakura looked away sheepishly, she let out an exasperated sigh. She just couldn't get away from this jumpsuit.

Ino laughed as she said, "If you didn't want people talking about it, why'd you make it?!"

Sakura dropped her eyes and said, "I'm regretting it more by the second….."

Ino let out a small chuckle and said, "You know you don't mean that…"

Sakura paused then let out a small sigh and said, "Of course not…"

Ino smiled a little and gave an eye squint as she decided to try to fish for information on how Naruto and Sakura were doing.

"So… How are things between you and Naruto?..."

Sakura gave a slight eyeroll. She had successfully dropped one subject only to have another brought up.

Ino crossed her arms and said, "Come on! We never even got to meet up at that tempura restaurant. You owe me!…"

Sakura let out a small sigh. Ino knew exactly what to say to get what she wanted.

Sakura wore the smallest of smiles and said, "Things are better, but it's just not the same… I know it, and I'm pretty sure he does too..."

After a short pause, Ino wore an encouraging half-smile and said, "Keep at it… Things are gonna get better…" Sakura gave a small nod and said in a silent voice, "Hopefully…"

After she said that, the two heard the restaurant door swing open. Kiba, Shino and Neji had just arrived.

As the three reached the table, they exchanged greetings and sat down.

As the night went by, the rest of the members arrived and everyone placed their orders. The atmosphere was lively and jovial. The Konoha 11 hadn't gotten together as a group in what seemed like an eternity. It was definitely a much needed reunion, but as Sakura sat there, she looked around the table and couldn't help noticing that every member of the Konoha 11 was now there. All except one…

Ino noticed the look of sadness on Sakura's face and said, "Thinking about our missing member?..."

Sakura gave a sad smile and said, "You didn't even have to read my mind…"

Ino smiled, then said, "I tried to invite him… He said he had to get some rest because of his meeting with Hikan tomorrow... He just needs time..."

Sakura gave a small smile and said, "Yeah…"

After a while she decided to just enjoy the company she did have. She still had the other members of the Konoha 11. They definitely weren't Naruto Uzumaki, but they were her friends as well, so she resolved to enjoy their company and make the most of the night.

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	32. Man to Man

Ch. 32

As Kakashi and Naruto walked away from the barbershop, Naruto looked up at his freshly trimmed hair and said, "I think it's actually kinda growing on me…"

His hair still had that same spiky flair, but it was very noticeably shorter. It gave him a more mature and polished look as it stuck out of the top of his headband.

Kakashi looked at his hair and said, "Yeah, I think it looks pretty good too… and you look more mature like Tsunade wanted…"

Naruto looked forward and said, "Mission accomplished then."

Kakashi gave a slight nod as they kept walking in the direction of Ichiraku's.

As the two arrived at Ichiraku's, they found that Teuchi was the only one there. After the three exchanged greetings, Teuchi explained that Ayame was gathering ingredients for tomorrow. The two sat down then Naruto placed his order. He turned to Kakashi and said, "You're not eating?"

Kakashi sat down and pulled out Ichi Ichi paradise as he replied, "No, I already ate something."

Naruto gave a small shoulder shrug and sat down on Kakashi's left.

After a few moments of silence, Kakashi decided to break the ice. "So, you think you're ready for tomorrow?"

Naruto was now leaning over the table with his head resting on his hands. He thought to himself, then said in a low voice, "I think so…"

Kakashi kept reading his book, but said in an inquisitive voice, "It's not like you to be uncertain…"

Naruto thought to himself for a second, then said, "I don't know, it's just that I don't know what to expect..."

Kakashi slowly nodded, then said, "Yeah… I know the feeling… When I'm going on a mission and I don't know what to expect, I usually meditate for a while."

Naruto squinted his eyes and looked at Kakashi. He said in a semi-annoyed voice, "Yeah…I was gonna try to do that before I was dragged out of my house…"

Kakashi smirked and looked at a small watch he had on. 8:47 PM. He kept reading his book and said, "You'll still have time…"

Naruto gave a small eye squint and said, "Right…"

After a short pause, he asked, "Any other suggestions?"

Kakashi turned to Naruto and said, "Regarding how to prepare for tomorrow?" Naruto gave a small nod.

Kakashi tilted his head upwards, then put the hand that wasn't holding his book on his chin. He said in a pensive voice, "I can't really offer that much more than meditating. Most of the times, missions like these aren't predictable. It doesn't matter how long you prepare. You can never really be prepared because you don't know what's coming."

Naruto tilted his head to the side and said, "What does that mean?"

Kakashi looked at him and said, "It means that a lot of times, you'll prepare for things, and then find that the situation is different. For example, you could prepare for a tense meeting with Hikan tomorrow and find that he's in a relaxed mood. Or things could go exactly how you envisioned them. Basically, anything goes, but that's part of being a shinobi…"

Naruto looked down at the bar pensively and said, "So what do I do?"

Kakashi looked back down to his book, then said, "You can either try to prepare for everything or you can be ready to be unprepared. Or maybe a little bit of both…"

Naruto gave an inquisitive look and said, "Be ready to be unprepared?"

"Yeah. Sometimes if you try to prepare for everything, you still end up being unprepared for something. So an alternative is to be ready to be unprepared. Or in other words, be ready to adapt to any situation."

Naruto slowly nodded in understanding as he thought about Kakashi's suggestion. He said in a curious voice, "What did you mean by doing a little bit of both?"

Kakashi replied, "I mean that you could spend some time preparing for the most likely scenarios, and then some time preparing to adapt to any situation."

Naruto thought to himself and said, "Maybe I'll try that…"

After a few moments had passed, Teuchi brought out Naruto's order. Naruto thanked him, then said grace and started eating.

As Kakashi sat there reading from his book he decided to ask Naruto about something that was on his mind. He gave Naruto a quizzical stare and said, "Naruto-"

Naruto turned to him and replied with a simple, "Yeah."

Kakashi spoke in a voice that masked his lingering curiosity. "What were you going to ask me before all of this craziness with Hikan started?"

Naruto looked up as he tried to remember what Kakashi was talking about.

Kakashi wore a small smile as he thought about how Naruto was always so clueless. He slightly chuckled then said, "You were going to ask me something the other day, but Sakura came to get us because the encryption finished."

Naruto thought to himself for a moment, then said, "Oh yeah, I was about to ask you something wasn't I…"

Kakashi nodded and said, "Yeah, you were. I've actually been wondering what it was…"

Naruto thought about it, then said in a nonchalant voice, "It's not that important anymore." He proceeded to pick up his chopsticks and eat some more ramen.

Kakashi turned to Naruto, then gave him an eye squint and said, "Come on, Naruto. I've known you for a _very_ long time. I can tell when you're lying…"

Naruto finshed eating the ramen in his mouth, then smirked and said, "Maybe I'll start wearing a mask like you, so that you can't tell…"

Kakashi smiled and said, "Ahhh. So you admit that you're lying then?..."

Naruto gave a small eyeroll and ate some more ramen.

Kakashi let out a slight chuckle and said, "It's fine. You don't have to tell me. I'll just… sit here… reading this book…for the 4th time….."

Naruto couldn't help but smile at Kakashi's mind games. He squinted at Kakashi from the corner of his eye and said, "Have you really read that book four times?"

Kakashi squinted back and said, "If I have, will you tell me what you were planning on asking me?"

Naruto started chuckling and said, "You're not usually so persistent Kakashi-sensei…"

Kakashi let out a small chuckle then fell silent.

After Naruto had finished his ramen, Kakashi closed his book and turned so that he was fully facing him. Naruto gave him a puzzled look as he waited to see what he would say.

Kakashi looked at him and said in a regretful voice, "I'm sorry, Naruto."

Naruto looked a little confused and asked, "For what?"

He had no idea what Kakashi had to be sorry for. The worst he had did throughout the night was coerce him into getting out of his apartment and harass him about the question he was going to ask. Surely he wasn't apologizing about those things.

Naruto said in a perplexed voice, "What do you have to be sorry for? I hope not for dragging me out of my apartment or harassing me about the question I was gonna ask you. To be honest, I needed to burn off some energy and I'm not mad at you for wanting to know what I was gonna ask. I'd be curious too."

Kakashi could tell that Naruto was genuinely confused. He let out a small smile and said, "No. It's not because of any of those things."

Naruto let out a small sigh of relief. He was hoping Kakashi wasn't feeling bad about anything that had happened throughout the night. It had all been for fun so he was really glad to hear that he wasn't. But now he was just left wondering what could Kakashi have to be sorry for. He said in a questioning voice, "What do you have to be sorry for Sensei?"

Kakashi smiled and said, "I'm sorry because I think I've been a little selfish."

Naruto gave him a puzzled look and said, "How come?"

Kakashi looked out towards the village and said, "It doesn't take a genius to guess that the question you were going to ask me was probably related to Sakura…"

Naruto let out a simple smile before Kakashi continued. "This thing with you and Sakura, I really wanted it to be resolved. Not only for your sakes, but for my sake. It hurt me as the leader of our team to see you guys in such a broken state."

After a short pause, Naruto let out a small smile and said, "So you worked overtime to try to help us out…"

Kakashi looked at Naruto and said, "Yeah. I think the problem is that by working overtime to try to fix things, I neglected how you guys were feeling in the process."

Naruto gave a small smile and said, "You don't have to apologize for that Sensei. You were just trying to help."

Kakashi looked back out into the village, then said, "Maybe... but sometimes having good intentions isn't enough..."

After a moment of silence, Naruto said, "It's funny how you can have all the right intentions and still do all the wrong things..." Kakashi smiled and said, "Yeah... That's a good observation."

As Naruto finished up his ramen, Kakashi turned serious and said, "I didn't only have selfish reasons for doing what I did though. I also had some selfless reasons for doing the things I did…"

Naruto raised an eyebrow and said, "What were they?..."

Kakashi let out a small smile, then looked down the dirt road and said, "Naruto, I basically watched you grow up before my eyes. You always had this bright, cheerful attitude. I'd only ever seen that attitude break a handful of times. Like when Sasuke left the village or when Jiraiya died…but you were always able to bounce back. You never forgot what had happened, but you were able to retain your joyful spirit through it all."

Naruto let out a small half-smile as he thought about the one he formerly called Pervy Sage.

After a few seconds, Kakashi turned to him and said, "That day when I saw what happened at the Valley, I knew you may never be the same...and that thought kinda scared me. Not only did that thought scare me, but as the years went by and you never recovered, I feared I was right."

Kakashi paused for a second, then said, "I started to grow more and more afraid that you'd turn out like me…"

After a short pause, Naruto gave him a confused look and said, "But you're a pretty cool, chill guy Sensei."

Kakashi paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "You only got to know me when I became your team leader. You never really knew who I was before…"

Naruto thought about it then realized Kakashi was right. He didn't really know much about Kakashi before he became their team leader. He had heard of him as the famed Copy Ninja of the Leaf but he didn't really know too much about his personality.

He shot him an inquisitive glance and said, "Then tell me what you were like..."

Kakashi paused, then looked back out into the village and said, "In one word. Sad. I'm the only member of my team still alive, Naruto. That fact took it's toll on me… I became distant, detached, cold… Living without family or friends or comrades...it's not really living. It's kinda just...existing..."

After a short pause, Kakashi said, "I didn't want to see the same thing happen to you... That's another reason why I tried so hard to help you guys fix things…"

Naruto paused for a moment, then said in a solemn voice, "That makes sense…"

After a moment of silence, Kakashi said in a serious voice, "Naruto, the biggest reason for my efforts to help you fix things were for you."

As Naruto looked at him inquisitively, he continued, "Right now, you're 20 years old, so you're around the age where you're becoming the person that you're going to be for the rest of your life. You have extraordinary abilities and an extraordinary mind, among other things. The person you become, whoever he is, he's gonna change this world..."

Kakashi looked out into the distance with a look of seriousness and said, "Growing up is kinda like being a tree. When a tree is young, you can kinda lead it to grow in one direction. You can do that by tying it to a stick to ensure it grows vertically _or_ by making sure it only gets sunshine from one direction _or_ by doing a variety of other things. But when that tree is grown, you can't really make it do anything anymore. It's become the tree that it's going to be for the rest of it's life. It's not impossible to change after…it's just very hard to."

Kakashi wore a small smile and said, "At your age, it's kinda like you're becoming your own tree, so I was afraid you'd turn into the sad, depressed Naruto forever…"

Naruto looked at Kakashi reflectively and wore a semi-shocked expression. He didn't really know what to say. He knew his attitude affected the people around him, but he never knew he was impacting people this much. This was one of the rare times when he saw Kakashi showing genuine emotion. He was used to just seeing smiles and smirks from him, but this was different. The conversation they were having showed that he obviously cared about how Naruto was doing. He knew Kakashi cared, but he would've never thought his attitude change had bothered him that much. If Kakashi, who rarely showed emotion, was feeling this way, just how bad were other people feeling. He thought to himself of how his attitude had also been bothering Kurama and felt even worse. The whole village was probably feeling the same way and he never knew it. He never really thought about how badly his attitude might be affecting other people. He felt himself getting a little sick as he thought about it. His dream was to be the future Hokage, but who would want a future Hokage who just made them sad…

Kakashi looked at Naruto and noticed his face was now full of guilt. The last thing he wanted was to send him on a guilt trip, so he said in a cheerful voice, "Don't worry, Naruto. You've already taken care of my concerns."

Naruto looked at Kakashi with a semi-stunned look and said in a confused voice, "How?..."

Kakashi smiled and said, "Well, you're a lot more like you're old self now; I'm seeing that sad, depressed attitude less and less; and on top of that, Sasuke's back. So what I'm saying is that I think you're healing."

Naruto thought about what Kakashi had said for a few moments, then said, "Maybe…"

After a few more moments of silence, Naruto said in a solemn voice, "But what about me and Sakura?... Have I taken care of all your concerns in that department?..."

Kakashi replied, "I'm not gonna lie and say that I wouldn't prefer for you to fix things with Sakura, but from what I've heard, you guys have settled for being just comrades. If things have to stay that way, then I could find a way to live with that. I was there at the Valley of the End, so I know it's gotta be tough for you to even be around her and I can understand your inability to just let it go. I'm just glad that you guys can at least talk to each other."

Kakashi looked at Naruto from head to toe then said, "So, all in all, my conclusion is that you're gonna be ok..."

Naruto looked away and gave a small nod as he rested his head on the table.

Kakashi studied Naruto and noticed he was still wearing a sad expression. He looked at him for a little longer then said, "What is it?..."

Naruto kept his head on the bar and simply replied, "It's nothing…"

Kakashi squinted his eyes then said, "When people say something is nothing, it's usually everything…" Naruto sat there with his head resting on his hands and remained silent.

Kakashi noted Naruto's silence and said, "It's ok if you don't wanna talk about it."

There was a seriousness in Kakashi's voice. No games, no ploys, just the voice of a friend.

Naruto was sure that Kakashi knew he was thinking about Sakura, so there was no point trying to hide it. He could use some advice anyway.

He let out a small sigh and said, "I'm not sure what I want Kakashi…"

Kakashi let out a small chuckle and said, "Life makes you think a lot harder than usual doesn't it."

After a short pause, Kakashi said, "Life is complicated, don't view every problem as black and white. Sometimes you have to wander out into the gray areas to find answers. There are no easy answers to the questions you have."

Naruto let out a sigh, then said, "Every time I get close to her, it just reminds me of what she did…"

Kakashi looked up as he thought to himself. After a few moments, he raised his finger and said, "Then think about _everything_ she's done, not just the bad. Don't let your mind stop at what she did at the Valley. Think about how she's tried to fix things, think about the jumpsuit she made for you, think about the fact that she stayed by your side waiting for you to wake up, not by Sasuke's. I'm sure if you think harder, you'll find that there's a lot of good that she's done too."

Kakashi paused then said, "Sometimes people do terrible things, but it doesn't always mean they're terrible people..."

Naruto nodded slowly and said, "Thanks Sensei…"

Kakashi smiled and said, "Don't sweat it. Now we better get you home so you can get ready for your mission tomorrow." Naruto nodded and stood up, then the two started walking towards his apartment.

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	33. Guidance

Ch. 33

Naruto unlocked his apartment door, then turned to Kakashi and said, "Thanks, Sensei…for everything."

Kakashi gave a small nod and said, "Anytime." as he started walking away.

As Naruto stepped inside, he realized Sasuke still hadn't come back yet. He decided to leave the key under the mat for Sasuke just in case he had fallen asleep by the time Sasuke got home. He was used to Sasuke's sometimes short/sometimes long meditations by now so he decided he'd just start getting ready for his mission tomorrow. He and Kakashi had already gone over some possible situations on their way back to his apartment, so he decided he'd just get his gear ready then meditate. Hopefully that would be enough to help him be ready to adapt to whatever happened at this meeting tomorrow.

He walked over into his room and started getting the gear he would take with him ready. He shouldn't need too much ninja gear, but like Kakashi said, he needed to be ready to adapt to any situation.

After he had finished getting all of his gear ready, he took off his jumpsuit and folded it so that it would be ready for tomorrow. He opened one of his vanity drawers and then got his pajamas ready.

He finished getting his gear ready in even less time than he thought. He looked over to the clock on his nightstand. 9:43PM. It wasn't too late, so he decided he'd get ready for bed, then meditate until he felt sleepy or Sasuke got back.

He decided to take a shower, then slipped into his pajamas. After he had finished brushing his teeth, he sat cross-legged on his bed and closed his eyes. He had a long, unpredictable day ahead of him tomorrow, so he had to be ready for anything.

* * *

Sakura was now getting ready to leave the BBQ grill. Her and Ino were the only ones from the group who were still there. They had stayed to talk about girl stuff in general, nothing major. Sakura had actually enjoyed herself more than she thought she would. It had been a while since she had actually been able to relax and enjoy herself with friends since Tsunade had her working overtime at the hospital. It made sense though. Ever since Hikan's attack, the hospital had been really busy. It was only now that things were starting to slow down. Between taking care of Naruto and running back and forth between patients, she was stretched thin. This night was a much needed break from everything.

She waved goodbye to Ino as the two went their separate ways. It was getting late, so the streets weren't as active as they were earlier in the day. It gave the village a mildly eerie vibe. There were a few travelers here and there, but the streets definitely had less traffic than usual.

As she headed back to her apartment, she found herself thinking about the events of the day. She was glad that Naruto and Sasuke were now awake and that things were finally settling down. Sasuke had returned to the village and Naruto was looking like his old self more and more.

She would normally feel a lot happier due to the recent developments, but the problem was that things were possibly gonna pick up again. Naruto was meeting Hikan tomorrow…alone. She couldn't help but feel a little concerned as she wondered just what would happen when the two met. Hopefully it wouldn't evolve into anything more than just a meeting and Naruto would be able to get the information they wanted with no hassle. She felt her anxiety rising and decided to think of something else instead. Thinking of just about anything would be less stressful than thinking about tomorrow.

She started thinking about Sasuke and how he had did a 180 after meeting the Sage. She had wanted to talk to him, but she wasn't sure if he'd still be meditating at the Hokage Monument. Sometimes he'd meditate for hours, but sometimes he'd meditate for shorter periods of time. She thought to herself for a second and decided that it was more likely that he'd be there for hours with all that had happened during the day. Not only that, tomorrow would be an unpredictable day as well so he'd need to be as prepared as possible. She decided to check to see if he was still there. At the worst, he just wouldn't be there, and she'd talk to him tomorrow. She looked at her watch. 9:57 PM. She better hurry up. It was getting kinda late and she wanted to wake up early so she could see Naruto off. She cracked her neck, then started to jog towards the monument.

As she reached the top, she hopped onto the monument and quickly searched each Hokage's head. No sign of Sasuke. He must've already left. She wore a small smile then thought to herself, _'I'll talk to him tomorrow then…'_

As she got ready to descend the steps, she heard a voice behind her. "A while ago Kakashi was the one stalking me, now you…"

She knew that voice. She smiled and turned around to see Sasuke. He was still there after all. He actually looked a little worn. He must've been not only meditating, but training as well.

After a small pause, she replied in a friendly voice, "I promise I have a good reason…"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow and said, "So you admit you're stalking me?..."

Sakura smirked and said, "I don't think this really counts as _stalking _per se…"

After a short pause, Sasuke shrugged then walked over to Hashirama's head and sat down. He looked out over the city and said, "Well, since you're here, what did you want to talk about?"

Sakura sat down next to him and after a short pause, she said, "I know you said you didn't want to talk about it…but the Sage… Just what did he say to you?..." She wore a confused expression and said, "You came out a different person, Sasuke..."

Sasuke wore a small grin and said, "I thought that might be the reason for your visit…"

Sakura raised her hands defensively and said, "I'm sorry. I know you don't want to talk about it…but-"

Sasuke interrupted, "You're hoping whatever he told me, can help you..."

Sakura smiled and gave a small nod. Her face was filled with desperation. Sasuke could see that she not only wanted an answer, she _needed_ one. As he looked back out to Konoha, he remembered what Hagoromo had said about using what he had learned to help others.

He let out a small sigh as he looked out into the village. After a short pause, he turned to Sakura and said, "He told me many things. He told me that life revolves around change. That it could be painful, beautiful, and a lot of other things…but that it's usually a mix of everything."

He paused for a second, then continued in a more reflective voice, "I had been trying to run from my pain for a long time, but he helped me realize that pain is a part of everyone's journey. You can't escape it, but you can choose not to let it encompass your whole journey… To do that, you have to learn from your past so that you can better focus on the future. If you don't, you're gonna spend you're whole life living in the past. And if you're living in the past, I don't think you're really living…Trust me...I've done it for a long time..." Sakura gave a sad smile as she looked down into her lap.

Sasuke studied her then continued in a low voice, "He also told me that I don't have to be defined by my past. That I could choose a different future… And that I shouldn't let what I've done in the past define who I am…but that I should be defined by what I do now."

Sakura let out a small smile as she made the connections between what the Sage had said and Sasuke's new attitude. It made sense now. She just wished she could apply that advice to her own life… "Now it makes sense...I just wish I could move forward like you did." She let out a small chuckle then said, "Maybe I need to meet the Sage..."

Sasuke replied, "It's not as much about the teacher as it is about what you do with the lessons learned..." Sakura looked down pensively as she thought about the truth of that statement.

After a long pause, Sasuke said, "He also talked to me about my quest for redemption. I'd spent a long time trying to redeem myself, but I knew that I could never do enough to redeem myself…not in my own eyes…"

Sakura wore a small frown. She had been feeling the same way. After what she had done to Naruto, she didn't really feel like she'd ever be able to redeem herself. No matter what she did, that guilt…it lingered. It just wouldn't go away…

As Sasuke looked out over the village, he said, "I know that you know you won't ever do enough either. Making that jumpsuit, everything else you've done for him; it wont take away the guilt. The only way to do that is to forgive yourself."

As a small tear rolled down Sakura's cheek, she said, "You're the second person who's told me to do that…"

Sasuke tilted his head and said, "Maybe that's a sign that you should listen…"

As she looked out into the village, she looked down into the direction of Naruto's apartment. She used her hand to wipe away the tears that had fallen down her cheek and said, "How could... I still remember the look on his face when he realized what I did..."

After a short pause, Sasuke said in a soft voice, "You forgive yourself by realizing you can't change the past, you can only affect the future..."

Sakura looked down and said, "It's not that simple…"

Sasuke replied in an understanding voice, "I know...but as far as I know, it's the only way..."

After a moment of silence between the two, Sakura said in a silent voice, "Sorry if I interrupted your meditating or your training or whatever it was you were doing up here…"

Sasuke stood up and said, "It's no problem. I was planning on going back to Naruto's apartment a little early anyway. He's got a long day ahead of him and I don't want him staying up waiting for me…"

Sakura gave a small smile and said, "He waits for you?..."

Sasuke slightly rolled his eyes and said, "More like he falls asleep trying..."

Sakura let out a small giggle then said in an affectionate voice, "He's Naruto…"

Sasuke smirked and said, "He's Naruto…"

As Sakura stood up and got ready to leave, Sasuke looked at her and said, "So what are you going to do now?"

She looked out over the village and said, "I'll have to think about everything you said...then I'll decide what to do."

Sasuke gave a respectful nod and said, "Ok."

As the two started walking down the steps, Sakura turned to Sasuke and said, "Do you believe in fate?"

Sasuke wore an amused smile and said, "You know I asked Kakashi that question a little while after I first came back..."

Sakura's eyes widened a little, then she gave him a small nudge to the side and said, "I never would've pegged you to be the type to believe in fate."

Sasuke smiled at that. Now that he said it, it seemed kinda awkward to him as well. He just shrugged it off and said, "Do you want to know what Kakashi's answer was?"

Sakura looked at him expectantly. After a few seconds, he smiled and said, "He told me that the only type of fate he believed in was the kind you make happen..."

Sakura thought about it for a second then smiled and said, "That sounds like something he would say..."

Sasuke turned to her and said, "But do you really understand his answer?"

Sakura gave him a blank stare. Sasuke thought she didn't get it so he smiled and decided to explain it to her. He said in a soft voice, "If you make something happen, it isn't fate. Kakashi's answer indirectly shows that he doesn't believe in fate." Sasuke looked out into the distance and said, "From everything we talked about that night, I think he was trying to show me that fate is a word that's usually used by people who have lost sight of their path..."

Sakura looked down for a moment then let out a sad smile and said, "Now I get it…"

Sasuke noted her reaction and said in a silent voice, "Don't beat yourself up too much. It's just a process... You'll figure it out."

Sakura felt a little happier after he said that. She knew he was talking from experience, so it felt good to know that someone had walked the same path she was walking and come out ok.

As the two reached the bottom of the steps, Sasuke said, "I'll walk you home."

Sakura quickly replied, "No way! My apartment is after Naruto's, and you said he's probably waiting for you. He needs to rest up for tomorrow..."

Sakura replied in a monotone voice, "He'll be fine."

Sakura said in a noticeably firm voice, "No way. We're stopping by Naruto's first. You know I can take care of myself and the streets still have a few people on them anyway..."

Sasuke could tell she had already made up her mind and he didn't feel like arguing, so he just shrugged his shoulders and kept walking.

As they walked up to Naruto's apartment, Sasuke said, "Are you going to come inside?"

She wasn't really thinking that far ahead, so the question kinda caught her off guard. She used to stop by his apartment frequently before missions, but after she betrayed him, he had made sure that she didn't feel all that welcome anymore. She let out a small sigh as she thought about their checkered past. If she went in right now, he'd probably act normal because of their status as comrades, but she surprisingly found herself not wanting to be there if that was the case. If she was there, she wanted to at least be there as his friend. His real friend. Anything else would just feel...fake. Maybe one day they'd get back to where they were, but that day wasn't today. For now, he just felt like something she couldn't reach...

She let out a small sigh and said in a soft voice, "No. Not today..."

Sasuke nodded and said, "Ok." He knew it was a sensitive subject so he decided not to push it. The two waved their goodbyes, then Sakura started walking in the direction of her house while Sasuke walked up to Naruto's door and grabbed the key from under the mat.

Naruto had one eye open as he waited to see what Sakura would do. Not only was he meditating, but he was also a sensory ninja so he'd noticed when the two had arrived. As he felt her walking away, he half-smiled at the memories of how she used to visit him before missions. Sometimes she'd bring different types of food for them to try. Just doing things with friends always helped him lighten up before more serious missions. His favorite times were when they just ate ramen together. He smiled as he thought about how Kakashi had told him to also think about some good things from their past. Those memories were definitely good...

He got up out of his bed as his front door opened then looked over to the clock on his nightstand. 10:39 PM. He hadn't meditated for that long, but he felt like he was already in better mental shape for tomorrow. He decided he'd just talk to Sasuke, then turn in for the night. As he opened his bedroom door, he said, "You decided to do one of those long meditations, huh?"

Sasuke gave a simple nod as he took off his shoes and started walking towards the bathroom. Naruto noticed he looked a little too worn out to have just been meditating, so he gave him an eye squint and said, "You said you'd be meditating…not training…"

Sasuke gave a small shrug and said, "Things just happened that way."

Naruto tightened his upper lip and said, "I'm sure…"

Sasuke smirked as he walked into the bathroom, then said, "You don't have to wait up for me you know."

Naruto said, "Yeah, but I already wanted to meditate some...so it just happened that way…" Sasuke wore a full grin at Naruto's imitation of his earlier statement. Sasuke said in a firm voice, "Just get some sleep man. You don't know what tomorrow's gonna bring." Naruto let out a small nod as Sasuke walked into the bathroom.

Before he closed the door, Naruto said in the most uninterested voice he could muster, "What was Sakura doing here?"

Sasuke turned and matched Naruto's uninterested voice with a nonchalant attitude of his own. "She came to the monument. She just wanted to talk about some things."

Naruto was wondering what they had talked about, but he had to keep up his uninterested attitude, so he said in a carefree voice, "Oh...Ok. I'm gonna turn in. Good night."

Sasuke said, "Night." as he closed the bathroom door.

As Naruto got under his sheets he found himself in a more calmed state of mind. He felt ready for tomorrow, but he couldn't help feeling a little jittery. He shrugged as he decided it was better to be a little jittery than anxious. He looked up at the ceiling and thought to himself, _'Tomorrow's the day… Tomorrow's the day…'_

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	34. The Day - Part 1

Ch. 34

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Naruto turned and looked at his alarm clock as he turned it off. 7:00 AM. Today was the day… He was glad he didn't have to arrive too early. The meeting time was set for 10 AM so he had a good amount of time to get ready.

He threw the covers off of his bed, then headed to the bathroom. After he had finished getting ready, he stepped out into his living room. Nothing really looked out of place. As usual, Sasuke was meditating in the middle of the floor, but everything looked normal enough. The only outlier was a hot bowl of ramen on the table. He thought he had smelled some from the bathroom, but he thought he had just been imagining it.

He turned to Sasuke and said, "You made ramen?..."

Sasuke kept his eyes closed and said, "Yeah. You need to be ready to go for this mission."

Naruto looked at him and said under his breath, "The wonders never cease..." He shot Sasuke another glance and said, "I assume you already ate?…"

Sasuke gave a small nod and said, "Yeah, I did." Naruto gave a small shrug then walked over to the table and sat down as he got ready to eat.

He slowly looked into the bowl and said in an unsure voice, "I hope you let it cook long enough…"

Sasuke shook his head and remained silent.

Naruto squinted his eyes and started eating cautiously. After taking a few bites, he concluded that the ramen tasted good and began eating regularly.

While he was halfway done with his ramen, Sasuke left his meditating position and rose to his feet. He said in a curious voice, "You nervous about today?..."

Naruto looked into his bowl of ramen and said, "No… I'm just a little jittery…"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow and said, "That's better than being straight up nervous…"

Naruto gave a small shrug and said, "Yeah, I guess it is…"

Sasuke noticed that Naruto looked not only jittery, but a little wound up as well. As much as he didn't want to admit it, this mission had to be making him at least a _little_ nervous. Sasuke decided to try to keep the mood light to help him relax a little. He said to him in an inquisitive voice, "Why'd you cut your hair?"

Naruto looked up at it and said, "Kakashi said that Tsunade wanted me to trim it because it would make me look more mature… It's actually growing on me."

Sasuke examined him for a bit then said, "It does make you look more mature…"

After a short pause, Sasuke said, "So Kakashi stopped by last night?"

Naruto finished a mouthful of ramen, then said, "Yeah. We actually went to the barber, then to Ichiraku's…"

Sasuke dropped his eyes then said, "If I knew you had ramen last night, I might not have made it again…"

Naruto smiled and said, "I'm glad you didn't know…"

Sasuke wore a small smirk and said, "You're pathetic…"

After a few moments had passed, Naruto finally finished his ramen then stood up and said, "Let's go."

The two walked out the door and started heading towards the Hokage Monument. Naruto was set to leave from there around 8 AM. He would have around two hours to get to the Rain, so he wouldn't have to push himself like he did a few days ago.

* * *

As Naruto and Sasuke climbed the steps of the monument, Sasuke said, "You're a lot more quiet than you usually are…"

Naruto wore a small smile and said, "I'm just trying to make sure I'm mentally ready for whatever happens…"

Sasuke shook his head and said, "I know, but just try to relax some..."

After a short pause, Naruto gave a small smile and said, "If Sasuke Uchiha is telling me to relax, I must be doing something really wrong."

Sasuke wore a small smile and said, "At least your sense of humor is back…"

As the two neared the top of the monument, Sasuke said, "Whatever happens, just know…I've got your back…" Naruto smiled and gave a firm nod. He felt like he was finally able to relax a bit after Sasuke's little pep talk. Hopefully, that would be enough to help him relax for the mission.

* * *

Tsunade, Kakashi, Konohamaru, Sai and the Konoha 11 were standing at the top of the monument. They had planned to see Naruto off as a small surprise before he left. Tsunade was hoping that it would put him in a better head space for the mission he was about to go on. As quickly as he had accepted the mission, Tsunade knew it couldn't be easy for him to have to meet Hikan alone. Hopefully, this little surprise would boost his resolve.

Ino turned to Sakura and said, "Tsunade was really smart planning this. Even if Naruto doesn't show it, he'll be happy." Sakura smiled and said, "Yeah, this is his type of thing."

As Sakura looked out over Konoha, Ino noticed that she had a more calm look about her. There was a sense of peace in her gaze. Ino asked in a cautious voice, "Are you ok?"

Sakura slowly nodded and said, "Yeah. Just thinking about things…"

Ino gave a small smile and said, "I'm guessing I already know what you're thinking about…"

Sakura smiled and said, "Yeah, probably…but I think it's different now…" Ino tilted her head then said, "How so?"

Sakura replied, "I'm not sure yet…but I feel like it is…" Ino examined her for a second, then shrugged and said, "Ok."

A little while after, they heard a pair of footsteps coming up the steps. Sakura said in a low voice, "Here they come…"

As Naruto and Sasuke reached the top of the steps, Naruto froze and stood there in silence.

Ino turned and whispered to Sakura, "He got a haircut."

Sakura wore a small blush and said, "Yeah…he did…"

Ino examined him for a second, then whispered, "It makes him look a little older…He's definitely not a kid anymore…" to which Sakura slowly nodded in agreement.

Hinata hid a blush as she turned to Kiba and said, "When did he get that haircut?...and that jumpsuit?..." Kiba looked at him and whispered, "Beats me... This is the first time I've seen either of them…"

As Naruto looked around, his eyes slightly widened as he realized that every member of the Konoha 11 was there along with Tsunade, Kakashi, Konohamaru and Sai. He looked in the direction of the 11 and said in a silent voice, "What are you guys doing here?..."

Ino said in an indignant voice, "We came to see you off! Duh!"

Naruto stood there in stunned silence. He thought it would just be Tsunade and Team 7 to see him off. He didn't really think anyone else would care that much to be honest. He wasn't as close to Konohamaru as he had been in the past and he wasn't all that close to the Konoha 11 anymore either. Sure he'd talk to some of the members now and then if they ran into each other, but the conversations had been short and direct for the most part. The only members he talked to frequently were those on his ANBU team.

He slightly dropped his head as he thought about his meeting with Kakashi. It was then that he had realized how much his attitude had affected everyone around him. He was sure that his closed off attitude had also affected everyone there, but they were still willing to show up to support him. Despite everything, they still had his back.

He wore a small, sad smile and said in a low voice, "You guys didn't have to do this…"

Kiba was sitting on top of Akamaru and energetically replied, "Of course we did! That's what friends are for."

After a moment of silence, Naruto looked up and wore one of his trademark, eye-closed smiles, then said, "Thanks everyone!"

After that, Shikamaru smiled and walked up to him. He looked at his jumpsuit, then at his hair. He paused for a second, then smirked and said, "Nice."

Naruto smiled and said, "Thanks."

After everyone had exchanged greetings, Sakura looked at Naruto and said, "I see you're rocking shorter hair."

Naruto looked up at his hair, then said, "Yeah, it was Tsunade's idea…"

After he said that, the two stood there with an awkward silence between them. Sakura quickly decided to try to say anything to keep the conversation going. She raised an eyebrow and said, "It was a good idea…" Naruto gave a suspicious eye squint then said, "What, it didn't look good before?..." Sakura smiled and said, "It just looks more clean now, that's all…" Naruto paused then gave a small smile and said, "Thanks..."

Sakura wore a more worried expression and said in a silent voice, "Be careful out there today…" Naruto gave a small smile and nodded.

The two were interrupted by Ino nudging them with her elbows. She whispered in an excited voice, "Look! Sai's about to talk to Sasuke… This is gonna be good…"

Naruto immediately turned to look. He remembered when he had to deal with Sai's antics. Sai had toned it down over the years, but he could still be annoying. Naruto found himself hoping that Sai would find some way to get under Sasuke's skin. Sasuke had wanted him to relax, and what better way to relax than by watching him get annoyed out of his skin.

Sasuke was currently looking in the direction Naruto would be leaving in. He slightly turned his head as Sai walked up behind him. Sai closed his eyes and gave one of his usual friendly smiles then said, "Good Morning."

Sasuke looked away, then said in a voice that showed he didn't want to start a conversation, "Morning."

Sai continued smiling and said, "Congratulations on your reinstatement as an official shinobi."

Sasuke looked at him for a second then said in a monotone voice, "Thanks."

After a short pause, Sai said, "It was a very honorable thing you did… Trying to save all of those people…"

Sasuke let out a small sigh then looked over to Naruto who was now watching them and wearing a small smile. He noticed that everyone else was paying attention as well. A small sweatdrop formed behind his ear as Sai continued. "It came at a price though…"

Sasuke let out a small sigh of exasperation, then looked up to his gray hair and said, "Yeah…it did…"

Sasuke heard Naruto let out a stifled laugh while the others started giggling.

A small vein formed at his temple, but before he could say anything, Sai said, "If you want, I can ink it black. I would probably have to reapply the ink regularly, but-"

Sasuke cut him off and said in a low grunt, "That won't be necessary…"

As the giggles started getting louder, Sai said, "There's also a product I saw in a store yesterday. It's called Just For Shinobi. From what I understand, it's some type of hair dye. I think it would-"

As a large vein formed on Sasuke's temple, he interrupted Sai again with a noticeable growl in his voice. "Just drop it, before I drop you..."

A small sweatdrop formed on Sai's forehead, then he wore one of his usual smiles and said, "Ok."

Naruto and everyone else just stood there laughing. Ino turned to Naruto and Sakura and said, "He didn't disappoint…" Sakura nodded while Naruto smiled and said, "Nope. Still weird, awkward and funny…"

Kakashi wore a small smile then turned to Tsunade and said, "This was a good idea. I can tell he's relaxing a bit… He'll be more ready for the mission now."

Tsunade gave a small nod then said, "Yeah, he's winding down a bit." She looked at a watch she was wearing. 7:57 AM. She turned to Kakashi and said, "I think it's actually about time he get going…"

After a few moments had passed, Kakashi walked towards Naruto and said, "It's time for you to go."

Naruto nodded then started following Kakashi. As he walked past everybody, he heard a voice from behind him. "Get this done, bro." He turned around and noticed it was Konohamaru who was now wearing a small smirk. He was 15 now and significantly taller than he was 3 years ago. They didn't really talk all that often anymore, so his statement took Naruto by surprise.

Naruto stopped, then knelt down and put a hand on Konohamaru's shoulder. He wore a sad smile then whispered, "I will. And I'm sorry… I know I haven't been the same since the war, but if you want, we can train some when I get back. Maybe talk about some things…"

Konohamaru blinked a few times as he processed what Naruto had said, then replied, "Yeah, I'd like that…" Naruto gave a wide smile and nodded, then stood up and kept following Kakashi.

As they reached where Tsunade was, she said, "Be careful. A little while after you left, Hikan responded to my email." She dropped her eyebrows and said, "He said he was honored that he'd be getting to meet the hero of the 4th Great Ninja War. Blah blah blah blah…"

Naruto chuckled and shook his head. He looked out into the distance then said, "In other words, he's ready for this..." Tsunade nodded and said, "Yeah..."

After a short pause, she said, "You know your mission. Be smart. Be calm. And most of all…be safe…"

Naruto smiled and gave a short nod. He walked onto an open space on the monument, then whispered, "You ready, Kurama?..."

Kurama smiled and said,** "Let's do this…"**

Naruto smiled, then his whole body started flashing orange and glowing yellow. His face turned a full yellow, then his jumpsuit started transforming as well.

After the transformation was complete, he turned to everyone at the monument. He wore a small smile and said in a soft voice, "Thanks for this…"

He gave a small wave and said, "I'll be back in one piece. Promise." As everyone waved him off, he folded his hands then gave everyone one last glance before launching in the direction of the Hidden Rain.

As he vanished out of sight, everyone looked on, hoping that everything would be ok.

* * *

As Naruto neared the Hidden Rain Village, Kurama said, **"You ready for this?"**

Naruto thought to himself for a second, then said, "I think so…"

Kurama gave a slight chuckle and asked, **"What happened to 'Born that way.'?"** clearly imitating Naruto's cocky attitude.

Naruto smiled and said, "Can't be as confident when you don't know what to expect…"

Kurama paused, then smiled and said, **"Ok…I'll give you that."**

After a few moments of silence between the two, Naruto said, "I'm sorry if I disappointed you…"

"**How so?"** said Kurama in a semi-confused voice.

Naruto said, "Well things aren't like how they used to be with Sakura. I thought that was what you wanted…"

Kurama said, **"Wrong. I said I wanted you to try your hardest. You did, and now you're healing…"**

Naruto thought about it and said, "Yeah, I guess I am…" He let out a wide grin and said, "Thanks Kurama." Kurama said in a friendly voice, **"Don't mention it."**

* * *

As Naruto neared the village, he almost flew right by it. He stood over the jungle and looked out to the sharp, jagged edges of the towers in the distance. He tilted his head and said in a slightly confused voice, "Where's the rain?..."

He looked around and saw that there wasn't a cloud in sight. The normally ominous look that Amegakure had was gone. The industrial look of the village shone through even more. The sun highlighted every skyscraper and small building in sight. The shadows of the buildings looked like they were sharp enough to cut you if that were possible.

Naruto looked around and said in a slightly off-put voice, "This is weird…"

**"Don't let it distract you kid. Stay focused."** Naruto nodded and said, "Yeah. Got it."

He proceeded to fly towards the village. As he got closer, he felt a familiar dark chakra. Hikan. He looked down in his direction and saw that he was standing on one of the docks that extended over the lake. He had a sizable welcoming party around him along with a group of people holding a sign.

It read: Welcome Naruto Uzumaki, Hero of the 4th Great Ninja War!

Naruto noted Hikan's smug grin, then examined what he was wearing. He said in a sarcastic voice, "Look who decided to add some color to their wardrobe…" Kurama replied, **"Yeah… I think he likes combat armor as much as you like jumpsuits…"** Naruto let out a small chuckle then grew serious and said, "Let's get this done…"

* * *

**To see my sketch of Hikan, you'll have to go to my Deviant Art page. Fanfic won't let me post any links to any other websites, so just follow the short instructions below.**

**Instructions:**

**1) Search DeviantArt through Google and click on their main page.**

**2) After you're on their website, add /one1022 to the end of the website link.**

**3) You should be at my page! (Be sure to read the description below the drawing!)**

**Be sure to leave a review letting me know if you liked the new outfit!**

* * *

Naruto wore a disgusted look and started to descend. As he got closer, Kurama said, "Remember to smile kid. You're supposed to be happy that Amegakure has a new leader." Naruto scrunched his lips and said, "Yeah, you're right…" He put on the best fake smile he could muster as he landed onto the dock. As he landed, he found himself swarmed by joyful villagers. Hikan held out a hand for them to stop and said, "Mr. Uzumaki will be joining you all soon. Just give us a moment."

As the people calmed down, Hikan stepped forward and said, "Good morning, Mr. Uzumaki. I was overjoyed when I heard that the hero of the 4th Great Ninja War would be visiting to congratulate me on my election." He waved his hand in the direction of the welcoming committee and said, "I guarantee you that the people are pleased as well."

Naruto wore a fake smile and said, "It's my pleasure, and congratulations." as he extended a hand to Hikan. Hikan smiled then shook his hand and said, "Thank you. I appreciate it… Nice outift by the way." Naruto replied with a forced smile and said, "Same to you."

After a short pause, he asked in a slightly curious voice, "No rain today?"

Hikan smiled then said, "No, not today." He quickly changed the subject by turning to a camera. He put his arm around Naruto's shoulders and said, "I hope you're not picture shy…"

Naruto gave a small chuckle then put his arm around Hikan's shoulders and replied, "No way. Pictures are just a way of saving good memories."

Hikan gave a small smile and said, "That they are…"

As the two took pictures, Naruto found himself a little disturbed at Hikan's expression. His smile was so well crafted, but Naruto knew better. On the inside, he was a killer…

After they had finished taking pictures, Hikan said, "I promised the people you'd spend some time with them. I hope you don't mind." He wore a small smile and said, "They'd probably remove me from power if you visited and I didn't give them a chance to take pictures and get autographs."

Naruto thought to himself, _'Maybe I shouldn't let them take pictures or get autographs then…'_ He wore a small smile as he mentally chuckled to himself before regaining his composure and saying, "It's cool. I'm used to it by now."

Hikan smiled and said, "Excellent." He pointed to Tashisu who was standing next to him and said, "This is Tashisu. He's my most trusted assistant. He'll assist you with the people, then we'll both give you a tour of the city. After that, we'll grab something to eat, then I'll let you go. I know you must be a busy man." Naruto wore a small smile and nodded.

Tashisu turned to Naruto and said, "Follow me." The two walked a little distance to a place where the villagers were waiting to meet Naruto.

They asked him for pictures, autographs, autographed pictures, and everything in between. Naruto was used to the attention, so he handled it with relative ease.

After they were done, the people tried to linger, but Hikan said in a exasperated voice, "Ok. Ok. We still have to show off our village." The people reluctantly started to leave, then Hikan turned to Naruto and said, "I never thought having to deal with the people would be one of the hardest things to do when I started leading this village." Naruto inwardly rolled his eyes, then said in as serious of a voice as he could muster, "At least you're good at it…"

Hikan gave a slight head tilt and said, "Thanks."

After all of the villagers had left, he clapped his hands and said, "Well, in any case. I think we can take that tour now." He turned to Tashisu and said, "Lead the way." Tashisu nodded and started walking in the direction of the village.

As the three walked through the village, Naruto turned to Hikan and said, "I know Pain used to be a more private person, but you don't seem to mind walking among the people…"

Hikan said, "I was one of the people once. We saw Pain as a god, and although I respected him, that's one of the areas where I disagreed with his approach. Me and the people, we're all the same…"

Naruto thought to himself for a second, then nodded and said, "That's cool."

As Hikan continued to show Naruto around, he found himself relaxing more. The village's industrial atmosphere gave it a refreshing vibe. This wasn't nearly as stressful as he thought it'd be. It was actually turning out to be a pretty chill day.

After Hikan had finished showing him around the village, he said, "The only place left to visit is Pain's Tower. It's the highest tower in the city and my current base of operations. We'll grab something to eat there, then I'll let you go." Naruto wore a small smile and gave a short nod as they started heading towards the tower.

As the two stepped into the tower, Hikan and Tashisu greeted the attendant at the front desk. Naruto did the same then followed them into an elevator.

As the elevator went up, Naruto felt his ears slightly pop. He was used to it when he was flying, but it kinda took him by surprise that elevators had a similar effect. Hikan was watching his reaction and said in a chuckle, "I wouldn't think the change in air pressure would bother you, especially with all the flying you do..."

Naruto smiled and said, "I just didn't expect it that's all…" Hikan gave a suspicious smile and said, "Expect the unexpected…" Naruto gave a small smile although that statement gave him an uneasy feeling.

After a few more moments, the elevator finally stopped and the three stepped out. They made their way through a series of hallways, then Hikan opened a door and said, "We'll be dining in here..."

As Naruto looked into the room, he pinched his lips and slowly shook his head. His face took on the form of a small scowl as he thought to himself, _'That jerk…'_

It was the exact room they had stolen the false intel from. It still looked the same as when they first came. The only addition was an elegant looking, well-made wooden table that was in the middle of the room. It had two chairs opposite each other, so it had to be the table where they would be eating. The office desk was still there with the sword resting against it and the computer on top.

Hikan turned to Naruto and said, "I know you came here to congratulate me on my election, but I just want to offer my condolences. I heard of what happened at the Leaf. You guys had a terrible thing happen, but at least Sasuke was able to bring some of them back…"

Naruto face started changing into a disapproving frown. If Hikan really cared, he would've offered his condolences when Naruto first arrived. He had purposefully waited until they were in that specific room so that he could remind Naruto that he had outsmarted them.

As Naruto's angry frown became more apparent, Kurama said, **"Fix your face. Don't let him get to you." **

Naruto thought for a second, then knocked himself out of it and said, "Sorry for my reaction. It's still a sensitive subject, so it hurts to think about it." Hikan nodded and said, "No need to apologize. It's understandable…"

Naruto just wanted to punch him in that smug face of his, but he calmed himself down and said, "Yeah. Thanks for your condolences, but we're here to celebrate your election. No need to kill the mood."

Hikan smiled and said, "I appreciate that."

Hikan walked over to the table they would be eating at then motioned to one of the chairs and said, "Please, have a seat…" Naruto walked over to the chair, then sat down and said, "Thanks."

Hikan sat down, then smiled and said, "No problem. You're our guest. Make yourself comfortable." Naruto gave another fake smile and said, "I will." There was no way he could be comfortable now. Hikan was throwing their failure in his face. Hopefully he could get some information that would make this day worth it.

The two hadn't been sitting down for a minute when the door flew open and two waitresses walked in. The first had two glasses of water. She placed one on Naruto's side of the table, then the other on Hikan's.

Hikan motioned to a small bar at one end of the room and said, "If you have a preferred drink, let her know and she'll get it for you." Naruto smiled and said, "Water is fine."

The other waitress had two bowls on a large tray. She set one of them down in front of Naruto and then set the other one down in front of Hikan. Naruto looked down and saw that it was a huge bowl of ramen. As his eyes widened at the realization, Hikan said, "It's no secret that ramen is your favorite dish. For another visitor, I may have prepared an elaborate meal, but this just felt more fitting…"

Naruto forced a smile and said, "Thanks." This was one of the few times in his life where he wasn't happy to see ramen. The ramen looked great, his real problem was with the source…

As the two got ready to eat, Naruto picked up his chopsticks with a hint of apprehension. Hikan wouldn't do anything to the war hero…right?... His heart started beating a little faster as his anxiety rose. Kurama let out a small sigh and said, **"There are currently two waitresses in the room along with that Tashisu guy. If Hikan were planning to do something like poison you, do you really think he'd do it with so many eyes watching?"** He let out a small sigh and said, **"You're just not cut out for these missions…"**

Naruto slightly squinted his eyes then went into Kurama's chamber. "Just know if something weird or bad happens to me, it's your fault!" Kurama slowly shook his head as Naruto left.

Hikan had already started eating, so Naruto slowly picked up some ramen with his chopsticks and placed it in his mouth. He wore a suspicious expression as he slowly started chewing. After he saw that he was still alive, he started to eat more like he normally did.

As the two ate in silence, Naruto decided to start fishing for information. He decided to start off with something light.

He said in an appreciative voice, "The ramen is good…" Hikan smiled and said, "I'll let the cooks know that you liked it. They'll be very happy to hear that the hero of the war liked their ramen."

Naruto gave a small smile and said in a carefree voice, "So, anything interesting been happening since your election?"

Hikan smiled and said, "No. Nothing that interesting. Mostly paperwork…"

Naruto slowly nodded as he absorbed Hikan's reply. That answer wasn't what he was hoping for. He needed some clues regarding any future plans. He decided to try to press a little harder.

He ate some more ramen, then said, "So I heard that there may be some shinobi from the Sound headed here. That's gotta be a little unnerving…"

Hikan shook his head and said, "It's not a big problem. I've assured the people that we'll be able to take care of it...and we will…"

Naruto took another bite of ramen as he tried to hide his semi-annoyed expression. Hikan couldn't shut up earlier, but now he wasn't willing to talk much at all. That jerk knew what he was doing.

Hikan watched from his side of the table with an amused grin. He knew the game that was being played and he was prepared. He finished up his ramen, then waited for Naruto to finish his.

After Naruto had finished, Hikan waved for Tashisu to come over. He whispered into his ear, "Give us the room…and start the clock…" Tashisu gave a respectful nod then motioned for the waitresses to leave with him.

Naruto looked around in slight confusion. Hikan said in a soft voice, "Don't worry… I just want to talk."

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	35. The Day - Part 2

Ch. 35

After everyone had left the room, Naruto watched as the nice personality Hikan had been using evaporated in an instant.

He crossed his arms then sat back in his chair and said, "Let's stop acting like you're actually here to congratulate me on my election..."

Naruto sat up straight in his chair and didn't respond.

After a short pause, Hikan smirked then rubbed his chin and said, "I have to admit, coming here as the hero of the war to get through my diplomatic wall..." He raised his eyebrows and said, "Very creative... That's the first thing you guys did that I didn't see coming."

Naruto paused for a second, then finally dropped his act. He raised one eyebrow and said with a hint of smugness, "It worked..."

Hikan gave a crooked smile and said, "True..."

After a short pause, he said, "I would've thought that you'd come here enraged when you found that crater of destruction, but I guess being unconscious put a cork in that..."

Naruto wore an angry frown as Hikan continued. "I'm also surprised that you came here alone. Bold move. That probably worked out in your favor though. I would've had to make sure we had some one on one time. There's no telling what would've happened to those accompanying you..."

Naruto looked at Hikan with a disgusted scowl and said, "You're a monster..."

Hikan simply smiled and ignored the statement.

After a pause between the two, Naruto decided to try to get some more information regarding Hikan's plans since the two were finally done playing games. He opened his arms and said, "Well, if you wanted some one on one time, I'm right here..."

Hikan grew serious, then paused for a second as he leaned towards Naruto and whispered, "What I wanted…was to see what you Konoha-nin would do..." He squinted his eyes then whispered, "And you guys put on a show..."

He sat up straight then said in a wary voice, "Because of you guys, 50 people are dead... And on top of that, Sasuke almost died trying to bring them back."

He looked at Naruto with a hint of distrust and said, "Even to someone like me, who doesn't care much for anything, that's _baaaad..._"

Naruto shook his head then said through gritted teeth, "You killed those people, not us."

Hikan snorted, then said in a low voice, "I'm just an instrument... A force for chaos..." He continued in a whisper, "You see, I may have been the one to create that crater, but deep down you know… You know that you all were supposed to protect the village... It's the leadership's responsibility to watch out for their people. Those 50 people that are dead, that's on you guys..."

As Naruto sat there silent, Hikan continued in a serious voice, "If I lived in that village, I wouldn't trust the leadership as far as I could throw it...and I'd trust you least of all..."

As Naruto sat there trying to hold a blank expression, he felt a tinge of guilt. He knew they left the village unprotected, but he tried not to think about it too much. It hurt to know that 50 people had lost their lives because they weren't cautious enough. Now Hikan was throwing it in his face, and as much as he hated it, he felt like Hikan might be right...

After a short pause, Hikan continued, "As much as I don't trust you, I have to admit, you've changed things in this shinobi world. You and I both know there's no going back. This idea of peace and understanding between shinobi that you've planted, people are believing in it..."

Naruto asked in a voice that sounded more aggressive than he meant for it to be, "Then why are you trying to stop that?..."

Hikan raised his upper lip in disgust and said, "Easy. Because it's a lie. At the end of the day, everyone looks out for their own, including you. You'll see that I'm right..."

He lifted one hand in the direction of his balcony and motioned towards the outside world. "This peace you're trying to achieve, it'll never work. And even if it does, it'll be a lie...a false peace. These shinobi who are supposedly looking out for each other, when push comes to shove, they'll show you who they are... When it comes time to make the tough decisions, they won't protect each other if it means they lose. They'll abandon each other. You know why?... Because their morals, their ninja way...it's like a bad mission...abandoned at the first sign of trouble..."

As Naruto sat there in silence, Hikan stood up and said, "They'll never be better than this world allows them to be… Look at how the villages surrounding the Sound are already getting ready for war. Orochimaru is back and those Sound ninja still haven't regrouped... You know why?... Because war...it's in their nature. And as much as we try to fight it, we _always_ return to our true nature... After Orochimaru faked his death, it just gave them an excuse to do what they've always wanted to do..."

Naruto quickly stood up and said in a firm voice, "You're wrong..."

Hikan snorted and said, "Oh you think so?! The scuffles between the Sound and the surrounding villages says otherwise..."

As tensions started running high, Naruto looked at him and said, "What happened to you to make you like this? You're so...negative..."

Hikan rolled his eyes, then replied in a nonchalant voice, "It doesn't matter what happened to me. Just know that it helped me realize what type of world this actually is."

Naruto wore a serious expression and asked, "And what type of world is that?"

Hikan replied, "A world full of people suppressing the darkness inside them, kinda like you do. Push people hard enough, and they'll let out that darkness that they've been trying to contain. Some people, like those Sound ninja, are more accepting of that darkness and they'll jump at the chance to fly off the rails. Some people, they'll resist that darkness...until something drastic happens..."

Naruto eyed him suspiciously, then said, "What does that mean?"

Hikan said, "It means that the road to darkness is a journey for all. Some people get there quickly, some people get there slowly, and some people need something extreme to happen for them to complete their journey. Something like the loss of a family member or a comrade or someone they would call a friend. You get the jist."

Naruto kept his face stern, but asked in a softer voice, "Is that what happened to you?..."

Hikan made one of the most disgusted faces Naruto had seen all day and said in a noticeably annoyed voice, "Don't say _'Is that what happened to you?'_ like I want your pity. I'm more than happy with who I am now. I can finally live the way so many people want to, but are afraid to...with no rules... And, on top of that, I finally see this world for what it is, which is more than I can say for you…"

Naruto turned to him and said in an exasperated voice, "What's your deal with me?... Up until recently, I didn't even know who you were..."

Hikan crossed his arms, then let out a small smile. He looked towards a map of the shinobi world that was on the wall and said, "Yeah, I know. That's why I pulled that little stunt in Konoha to make sure I had your attention. Now that I have it, you don't need to worry. My quarrel with you isn't personal. The only reason you're on my radar is because you are the single greatest force for this idea of peace."

He turned to Naruto and said, "In other words, the stubborn nail gets the hammer."

Naruto hid his true reaction with a blank stare as Hikan walked over to the balcony and continued speaking. "You see, my problem with you is that you think that at some point all shinobi will be able to understand each other, and that when that happens we'll be able to achieve peace... You're wrong. All shinobi will never understand each other. You know why?... Because they don't want to understand each other... Look at the Sound, their leader disappeared for a few days, and do you know what was the result? Anarchy. Beautiful...unhinged...anarchy..."

After he said that, there was a brief silence between the two. Hikan turned to look out over Amegakure as he thought to himself for a second. After a few more seconds, he turned back to face Naruto, then said in a pensive voice, "You know Naruto, I think this thing between us _is_ personal now... Now that we're both standing here, I can see that we both have something to prove... To ourselves and to this shinobi world..."

He paused for a second then said, "You see Naruto, we both have visions of what this shinobi world should be...and it's my vision that will come to pass..."

Naruto grunted and said in a snarl, "Don't hold your breath."

Hikan chuckled and said, "Don't let yourself get too angry Naruto. We're actually opposite sides of the same coin..."

Naruto quickly replied, "You're a monster who kills without thinking twice."

Hikan raised his voice in annoyance and said, "Don't act like we're so different and don't talk like you're one of the people out there, you're not!...even if you want to be..."

He walked over to Naruto then looked him in the eyes and said, "To this world, you're nothing more than a _freak..._" He widened his eyes to showcase his Sharingan and his Rinnegan then said, "like me..."

He squinted at Naruto then said, "I was there in the war. I saw your memories… Those villagers you're trying to protect, I saw how they treated you… They hated you. Despised you. You were trash to them... and to be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if some of them still felt that way. They probably just hide it because it's not the popular opinion..."

As Naruto balled up one of his fists in anger, Kurama said, **"Calm down, kid!"**

Hikan smiled and said, "I can see it all over your face. You're trying to fit in, but deep down, you know that you'll always be a freak to them... With your powers, you've just become a useful freak, but you're a freak nonetheless..."

Naruto quickly retorted, "That's a lie! I've got plenty of friends who like me for being me. It's not about the powers...but I wouldn't expect someone like you to understand."

Hikan replied in an annoyed voice, "Trust me, I understand a lot better than you think. Those friends you're talking about, put them under enough pressure, and they'll turn on you. You'll get the shock of your life, you know why? Because those people aren't really your friends..." Naruto thought about it for a second then looked away.

Hikan studied Naruto's expression then wore a wide smile and said, "Ahhhh, you already know what I'm talking about..." His face instantly turned serious, then he said, "Now that just makes it worse... Some of your so-called friends have already proved me right and you're still holding onto this false image of people."

Naruto took a long pause as he thought to himself for a few seconds. He finally looked up and said, "Just because people do terrible things, it doesn't necessarily mean they're terrible people..."

Hikan rolled his eyes and said, "I can't talk to you. You're too annoying. Don't you get it by now?!" His tone changed into a noticeably more aggressive one as he said, "Friendship is a fairytale! Respect and fear are the best you can hope for..."

Naruto gave a sickened look and said, "That statement is just proof that you don't understand at all."

Hikan replied in a sharp voice, "You know, I'd rather not understand, than let 50 of my people die because of my-" He made air quotation marks with his fingers and said with a sarcastic flare, "-friends."

Naruto had enough. He threw a chakra enhanced punch directly into Hikan's stomach, then grabbed him by his armor and punched him in the jaw. As Hikan fell to the floor, Kurama let out a small sigh and said, **"Now you've done it…"**

After a short pause, Hikan looked up with a crooked smile on his bloodied mouth and said, "Look at you go!"

Naruto gave him a suspicious look as he took in the statement. Why did he seem kind of happy that he'd been punched, and why did he let himself get punched so easily in the first place... As Naruto started thinking about it more, he realized that Hikan must have waiting for this. He had been playing him the whole time.

As Naruto realized that he'd been set up, he quickly scanned the room to see if there were any cameras around. It didn't look like there were any around, but knowing Hikan, he'd be getting ready to blast Naruto's moment of glory all over Amegakure...

Hikan slowly stood up as he wiped the blood from his mouth using his forearm. He gave Naruto a smug smile and said, "Don't worry. It's not about exposing you..." He cracked his neck then said, "...it's _juuust_ about proving a point."

As he got to his feet, he said, "Look at what you were willing to do with just my words..." Naruto thought to himself for a second, then looked away as Hikan continued. "You just physically assaulted the leader of Amegakure. Imagine what you'd do if you lost something or someone who was important to you…"

Naruto turned to Hikan and said in an aggressive voice, "Is that a threat?..."

Hikan gave a small chuckle and said, "No, I'm just trying to show you that I'm not the monster you think I am..." He leaned towards Naruto and said in a proud voice, "I'm just ahead of the curve."

Naruto quickly replied, "You think that living your life trying to bring out the darkness in people means that you're ahead of the curve?..."

Hikan sat down on the table and replied, "No, I think I'm ahead of the curve because I see the world for what it is and no one else does." Naruto shook his head and said, "I don't think you see anything…"

Hikan shrugged and said, "Too bad I don't care what you think..."

After a short pause between the two, Hikan said, "Don't worry, I'll make sure our evening ends on a much more exciting note than this..."

Naruto turned to him and said, "What does that mean?" Hikan wore a self-satisfied smile and remained silent. Naruto looked at him then started breathing harder and said, "What did you do?..." Hikan ignored him and sat there with his smug smile firmly in place.

Naruto grabbed him by his armor and lifted him off of the table. He said in a more threatening voice, "What the hell did you do?!"

Hikan gave a slight chuckle and said, "You just keep proving me right. So much hostility..."

Naruto remained resolute and said in a firm voice, "What did you do?..."

Hikan said in a smug voice, "Don't worry. I'm gonna tell you exactly what I did, because you'll have to choose...and that's the point."

He smiled and said, "When I was in Konoha, I left you guys a little parting gift in the form of a bomb..."

As Naruto's eyes widened, he said, "You did what?!..."

"Don't worry, it's on a timer, so you'll have time to get there. What should really concern you is the other bomb..."

Naruto pulled him closer and said through gritted teeth, "What other bomb?..."

"The one I planted in the Hidden Stone Village. You see, both bombs are set to go off less than an hour from now. The countdown was started the moment everyone else left the room."

Naruto wore a disgusted expression and said, "You're willing to kill innocent people for this little crusade of yours?..."

Hikan wore an expression that showed he expected Naruto to already know the answer and said in a simple voice, "Yeah..."

He paused for a second, then said, "But don't worry, the bomb in Konoha will kill 100 people max. The bomb in the Stone is gonna cause a bit more damage though... They'll probably lose around 200 people..."

Naruto thought about the situation for a while then pulled Hikan closer and said, "I'm right here. Keep this between you and me... Disarm the bombs."

Hikan wore a barely noticeable smirk, then said, "Not happening. You're gonna have to play my little game if you want to save some of the lives at risk..."

As Naruto wore an angry scowl, Hikan smiled and said, "You see, I'm going to tell you exactly what to do to disarm the bombs, but first, some ground rules. On your way to wherever you choose, I will be watching you. If I at any point feel like you're trying to communicate with someone or try something sneaky, I will remotely detonate both of the bombs instantly. This test is for you alone. If you try to find a way to disarm both of the bombs, I guarantee you'll regret it. When you open the bomb cover, you'll see a red wire. Disconnect it, and the bomb will be disarmed. That simple."

Naruto looked at him suspiciously and said, "Why are you telling me this?"

Hikan shrugged and said, "Because I don't care if you disarm one of the bombs, I just want you to know that you can't disarm both. In other words, you have a choice to make. Save more lives, or save the lives of those closest to you…"

He wore a devious smile, then said, "One last thing. Disarming one bomb...will trigger the other one..."

Naruto's eyes widened, then he said in a worried voice, "Don't do this..."

Hikan ignored him then looked at his watch and said, "By now, you've probably got around 45 minutes left. The bomb in Konoha is hidden behind the garbage dump outside your house and the one in the Stone is hidden behind a garbage dump outside their ANBU headquarters...You're on the clock..."

Naruto made a face of anger and finally let go off Hikan by shoving him to the floor. He ran over to the balcony as Kurama asked, **"Where are you going?"**

As Naruto transformed and jumped off of the balcony he replied, "Konoha!"

As Naruto flew away in the direction of Konoha, Hikan wore a small smile and said, " I knew it." He ran out off his office and into a control room. Tashisu was sitting there with a large screen in front of him. Hikan sat down in the chair next to Tashisu and said, "Told you so." Tashisu nodded and said, "I didn't disagree…" Hikan wore a small smirk then relaxed himself a little more and said, "Now to make sure there's no cheating..." He rested his head back then his Rinnegan started glowing a dark purple. Tashisu watched as his eyes fell shut after a few seconds. He looked at Hikan's slump body and said, "That's a very useful ability..."

Hikan had pushed his astral form out off his body and was now trying to catch up to Naruto. He saw him flying in the distance, but was still struggling to catch up to him. He squinted and said, "Good thing I'm like this. I couldn't keep up with him otherwise..."

As Naruto made his way back to the village, he thought to himself that this was turning out to be a far worse day than he thought. The bomb was right outside his house, so if Sasuke was home, he could be in real trouble. Sakura's apartment wasn't that far away either so there was no telling if she'd be caught in the blast. The two were extremely experienced shinobi, so maybe they could react quickly enough to prevent their deaths, but what about everyone else... On top of that, not only was Konoha in danger, but the Stone was too. He let out a small sigh as he started trying to think of ways to stop both bombs.

As he continued to fly towards Konoha, he felt a presence behind him. He stopped for a second, then turned around and said, "What the heck?..." As he floated over the jungle terrain, he looked in Hikan's direction. There was nothing there, but he could feel Hikan's presence. It felt like that time he had to fight Madara's limbo clone. He could sense that Hikan was there, but he couldn't see him.

Naruto said in a low voice, "Can you feel him?..."

Kurama replied, **"Yeah, but regardless, we gotta keep moving. Just don't try anything. We don't need him remotely detonating those bombs."**

Naruto paused for a second, then said, "I know..."

As he turned around and continued flying, he said in a low voice, "I hate this..."

Hikan wore a small smile then continued following Naruto. He thought to himself, _'He must be able to sense me... Good. Hopefully it'll stop him from trying anything stupid.'_

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	36. Paying the Price

Ch. 37

Naruto flew into Konoha at such a high speed that it looked like a yellow flash of lightning had just stretched across the sky. He blew by the Hokage Monument and made a beeline for his house. As he arrived, he saw the dumpster Hikan was speaking of and threw it to the side. He looked down and the bomb was right there like Hikan had said.

Sasuke had been in Naruto's apartment when he sensed Naruto approaching the village. It took him by surprise since Naruto shouldn't be back so early. Something must be wrong...

He stepped outside and jumped down to Naruto. He wore a semi-confused expression as he examined him. He looked like he had just run a marathon and he was squatting down in front of some type of gray device. Sasuke wore a confused expression and asked, "What's going on?..."

Naruto wore a grave expression then lifted the cover off of the bomb and said, "This…"

As Sasuke looked down to the bomb, his eyes widened in shock. Naruto examined the bomb and saw that it was on a timer like Hikan had said. It was counting down and currently read 07:40 (7 minutes 40 seconds left). Sasuke regained his composure, then said, "I assume your meeting didn't go well…"

Naruto slowly nodded and said in a low voice, "You have no idea…"

He let out a small sigh and said, "There's another bomb at the Stone's ANBU HQ. He told me how to disarm it, but if I disarm one bomb, the other one goes off..."

After Sasuke heard that, he started looking at the bomb pensively. This was turning into a real problem. If they only had to deal with their bomb, things would be a lot simpler, but Hikan was making sure there were no easy solutions.

As Sasuke stood there trying to think of how to solve the problem, Naruto continued to examine the bomb. As he looked all around the bomb, he noticed that there was a small screen to the right of the timer. He had been so focused on the bomb and the timer that he didn't notice it before. As he tried to figure out what it was showing, Sasuke said, "It's showing live footage of the ANBU HQ in the Stone..."

As Naruto looked closer, he noticed that Sasuke was right. He let out a loud sigh and said in a low voice, "He wants us to see when the other bomb go off..."

As the two stood there in silence, Sasuke saw something move out of the corner of his eye. He turned to see that it was none other than Hikan who was standing a little distance away. He smiled and gave Sasuke a small wave. Sasuke's eyes widened in shock then he said, "What the hell?..."

Naruto noticed Sasuke was looking in Hikan's direction and said, "You can sense him too?…"

Sasuke turned to Naruto and said, "No...but I can see him. I have a Rinnegan, remember..."

Naruto had almost forgotten about the unique abilities of Sasuke's Rinnegan. He nodded then looked in Hikan's direction and said, "I can sense him, but I can't see him. He's been following me since I left the Rain. He doesn't want me to try to disarm both bombs so he's making sure I don't try anything. Just leave him alone. He's threatened to detonate them both if we try anything…"

Sasuke thought about it for a moment, then wore an annoyed expression. It was beyond annoying to see Hikan standing there with his smug smile, so he decided to just focus on trying to stop the bombs.

As Kakashi, Sakura and Tsunade arrived, they looked at Naruto with noticeable concern. The three had been talking when they sensed his return. With how fast he flew in, it was obvious that something was wrong. As they examined him, they noticed that he was sweating bullets. He rarely broke a sweat doing anything so something extreme had to have happened for him to have pushed himself so hard. Naruto turned and looked at them with an expression that showed the situation was dire. Kakashi let out a small sigh and said, "What are we dealing with?..."

Naruto looked down to the bomb and said, "This..." The timer now read 05:12.

Naruto looked at it with a blank stare and said, "I already know how to disarm it. We just have to disconnect the red wire. Problem is there's another one at the ANBU HQ in the Stone. Disarming one bomb, sets off the other one... I've got no idea what to do..."

Kakashi and Tsunade cast each other glances that showed they didn't know what to do either. They didn't want to just save Konoha at the expense of another village's people.

After a few moments of silence, Sasuke noted that they weren't getting anywhere. He acted like he was looking at the bomb so that he could turn his back to Hikan. He slowly looked at everyone else as he activated his Sharingan.

The five suddenly found themselves in a genjutsu. They were all standing in an open red field that seemed to stretch on forever.

As everyone grew aware of their surroundings, Sasuke said, "Listen up. You guys may not know this, but Hikan's astral form is out there right now and he's watching us."

As Tsunade and Sakura's eyes widened in shock, Kakashi said, "What?!"

Sasuke said, "I can see him and Naruto can sense him. He's basically here to make sure we don't try to stop both of the bombs. That's why I brought us here. So that we could have some privacy..."

After a moment of silence, Kakashi spoke up and said, "I don't even see how we could stop both of the bombs. If one's in the Stone. We can't get there within 5 minutes…unless someone has a very good idea of how we'd do that…" He was thinking of Sasuke's space-time dojutsu, but he wasn't sure if Sasuke would even know how to get to the Stone. He looked at Sasuke and said in a curious voice, "Sasuke?..."

Sasuke remained silent for a few seconds then finally said, "I think I remember the dimension I left the Stone through... I can try to use my space-time dojutsu to get there and get the bomb out of the village. I'd just have to do it before Hikan could get back to his body and detonate the bombs…"

Kakashi asked, "How long do you think it would take to do that?"

Sasuke looked down pensively and said, "I'm not sure. It depends on where my portal opens from. It shouldn't take too long though. We know the bomb is somewhere behind one of the ANBU HQ dumpsters, so I'd just have to find it and get it out of the village."

Sakura asked, "But how would Naruto know when you had gotten the bomb out of the village? If he disarms his bomb early, he could blow up the Stone bomb before you even found it…"

Naruto thought about it for a second, then said, "I don't need to disarm the bomb..." He looked at everyone and said, "I'll just get it away from Konoha as soon as Sasuke opens his portal. We'll just let them explode..."

He turned to Sasuke and said, "I'll have my bomb far away from Konoha as soon as you open that portal, but you'll have to move quick, because as soon as that portal opens, Hikan will know we're planning something. And when he realizes that, he _will_ try to detonate those bombs…"

Sasuke looked down pensively and said, "So I'll essentially be racing Hikan as soon as I open that portal..." Naruto nodded and said, "Yeah..."

Kakashi and Tsunade looked at each other as they thought about it.

Sasuke looked at them and said, "It's our best shot at stopping both bombs."

Tsunade gave Kakashi one last glance, then sighed and said, "Then let's take it." She turned to Naruto and said, "You should also try to distract Hikan before you go. That might buy Sasuke some time, even if it's only a few seconds."

Naruto nodded and said, "If he's anything like Madara's limbo clones, I should be able to damage him with Six Paths Senjutsu. I'll wait a bit for everyone to get ready then I'll attack him." He turned to Sasuke and said in a grave voice, "Sasuke, as soon as I move to attack him you need to open that portal."

Sasuke nodded and said, "Let's do this..."

As the five returned to the real world, Sasuke looked around and noticed that Hikan was nowhere to be found. He gave the area a suspicious look over, then said in an unsure voice, "Where is he?..."

Naruto looked around semi-frantically and said, "I can't sense him anywhere..."

* * *

Hikan's eyes opened as his astral form returned to his body. He lifted his head then turned to Tashisu and said, "Let me sit there." Tashisu nodded then got up and switched seats. As Hikan sat down he muttered to himself, "Time to raise the stakes..."

As Hikan started typing away, Tashisu said, "What are you doing?"

Hikan kept working as he replied. "In high pressure situations, people are usually throwing out ideas to try to solve the problem. While I was over there, they all suddenly stopped talking...and not for a little while. And if they weren't talking in the real world, they were talking somewhere else... I'm very familiar with the Sharingan's abilities and I'm pretty sure they're having a little private meeting..."

Tashisu paused for a second, then raised an eyebrow and said, "How perceptive of you..."

Hikan kept his voice low, and said, "Thanks..."

Tashisu inquisitively asked, "So what are you going to do now?"

Hikan cracked his neck and said, "Well I told Naruto if they tried anything they'd regret it…" He smirked and continued in a whisper. "I'm a man of my word…so I'm gonna throw some dirt in their eye…"

* * *

As Naruto tried to sense where Hikan was, he said, "I'm getting a bad feeling about this…" As soon as he said that, the bomb made a long beeping sound. As everyone quickly directed their attention to it, the timer started flickering.

02:21 (2 minutes, 21 seconds)

02:20

02:19

_02:19_

_02:19_

As looks of confusion crossed everyone's faces, the timer went black, then words started appearing on it one by one.

* * *

I

said

no

**cheating…**

* * *

The screen went black again. As everyone watched in anticipation, the timer came back on, then the countdown continued.

00:15 (15 seconds)

00:14

Naruto put both of his hands on his head as he looked at the timer in stunned silence. As everyone watched the timer count down, Sasuke said, "He knew something was up... We're out of time..."

As Naruto sat there frozen, he said, "There's nothing we can do…"

00:07

00:06

Narut's face filled with dread as the timer kept counting lower. He had no idea what to do. Could he really pull that wire knowing what it would do to the Stone? As he sat there frozen, Kakashi knocked him out of the way and quickly yanked out the red wire. Naruto cast a stunned look to Kakashi, then turned to look at the bomb. As everyone waited to see what would happen, the timer started blinking then stopped at 2 seconds before shutting off.

Naruto had already started getting ready to make a chakra cloak just in case the bomb went off anyway. He slowly went back to normal as he realized the bomb had shut off. He put his arms down and let out a small sigh of relief as he looked back at everyone who was there.

BOOM! BOOOOM! BOOOOOOOOM!

Naruto quickly looked at the bomb and saw that the sound had come from the small screen that was showing live footage of the Stone's ANBU HQ. He looked and saw that the headquarters was being torn apart by a cascade of explosions. The five watched on in horror as the ANBU HQ was completely blown apart along with some of the surrounding buildings.

As Naruto watched the fleeing civilians and cascading explosions, he felt that same sense of powerlessness he'd felt when he came back to Konoha and found the crater of destruction. There was nothing he could do. He had all of his power, but he had to just sit there and watch the explosions with everyone else.

After a few more seconds, the explosions finally stopped. The five stood there in complete silence. Every one of them understood that although their village hadn't been affected, they'd lost...again...

Naruto looked at the screen in a fit of rage, then punched it so hard that the screen broke.

Sasuke said in a monotone voice, "That's still a bomb..."

After a few more moments of silence, Naruto looked at the bomb for a few seconds, then slowly rose to his feet. His head hung low as he thought about what had just happened. The Stone wasn't even a part of this. They were just a random casualty of Hikan's crusade. Naruto could do nothing but stand there in silence.

After standing there for a few moments, he turned around and started walking away.

Sasuke continued to stare at the screen in silence while Sakura watched as Naruto left. She wished she could do something for him, but she knew she couldn't, so she just had to watch as he walked away.

As Tsunade watched him slowly walk away, she said to Kakashi, "He's gonna blame himself for this..."

Kakashi looked at her and said, "Maybe...but that's why I pulled the wire." He looked over to Naruto's retreating figure and said, "He may blame himself for this, but I'd rather he blame himself than not be able to live with himself... And if he had to make that judgement call, I don't know if he would have been able to live with himself..."

Tsunade thought about it for a moment then said, "Yeah, you're right...but he's still gonna take this hard..."

Kakashi replied, "Yeah...He just needs some time to think... We all do..."

After a short pause, Tsunade nodded and said in a solemn voice, "The day extracts a heavy toll..."

She looked at the cracked screen showing the Stone's ANBU HQ, then said, "Get ready to send a team to the Stone. Have Sasuke take a group of medic nin there. They're going to be left reeling after this, just like we were..." Kakashi nodded as he walked over to Sasuke and Sakura to tell them to get prepped to leave.

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	37. Recover

Ch. 38

It was now late in the afternoon. The sun was setting as Naruto sat on top of the Hokage monument. As he looked out over the village, he noticed that the sunset gave the village a very peaceful look. There was also a gentle breeze in the air that gave a sense of tranquility. As he took it all in, he let out a small sigh. The village may have looked peaceful, but it was anything but that...

The village was in a buzz after word got out that a bomb had been found. As a result, most areas had been searched to make sure there were no more hidden surprises. The search didn't do much to calm the people though. News of what happened at the Stone had also spread so everyone was on edge anyway. Hikan was out there, and his presence was beyond well known...

As Naruto looked out to the village, he heard footsteps coming up the monument steps. He looked over and saw spiky white hair coming up the steps. Kakashi.

As Kakashi walked over to where Naruto was, he said, "I looked in a few other places before coming here. This is one of Sasuke's usual spots..."

Naruto kept looking out over the village and didn't respond. Kakashi examined him for a second, then looked out over the village as he continued. "Sasuke took a team of medic nin led by Sakura to the Stone... They should be back by sometime tonight." Naruto just gave a slow nod.

Kakashi sat down next to him, and looked out over the village. He knew Naruto probably needed to talk about things, but he wanted to let him start the conversation. It had been a very long day so he just wanted to let him talk when he was ready.

After a few minutes, Naruto softly asked, "Why did you pull that wire Kakashi-Sensei?..."

After a short pause, Kakashi turned to Naruto and said, "Well, I saw that you had an impossible choice to make..." He looked out over Konoha and said, "You're still young Naruto... In my lifetime, I've had to make a lot of choices like the one I made today, and every time I have to make a choice like that, I lose a little something in the process... I knew that if you had to pull that wire, you'd probably lose a little something too..."

Naruto wore a sad smile and said, "So you were protecting me..."

Kakashi softly said, "Yeah, I was... Maybe someday, when you're older..." he wore a small smile then said, "...and the Hokage, you'll have to make a decision like that...but not today..."

Naruto wore a small smile as a moment of silence fell between the two.

As Kakashi looked at Naruto's face, he saw a deep sadness. But not only was there a deep sadness there, it looked like he'd lost some of his resolve. That resolute attitude he'd grown accustomed to seeing was weakening. Naruto just looked tired..._really_ tired... He gave Naruto one last glance then asked in a serious voice, "Naruto...just what happened when you got to the Rain?"

Naruto took a long pause before responding. After a few moments, he said, "When I got to the Rain, I knew something was off. It wasn't even raining when I got there... Hikan acted like he was happy to see me, but I could see past that fake smile... As the day went on, I relaxed a little. I took pictures, he gave me a tour of the village, and the day seemed normal enough. But that all changed when we got to the last stop on our tour...Pain's Tower."

He paused for a moment, then continued in a semi-angry voice. "He took us to the exact room we stole the false intel from and offered his condolences for the 50 people who died... Then on top of that, he served me ramen and started talking about how he knew it was my favorite dish, like he actually cared... I tried to get some info while we were eating, but he shut me down... He knew what was going on from the start..."

He took a short pause, then slowly shook his head and said, "Everything changed when we were done eating. He made everyone else leave, then dropped the act he'd been keeping up all day. After that, I tried to get some information again since we were finally done playing games, but he just started talking about how we failed the village..."

After a few seconds, he wore a depressed expression and said, "After he was done throwing that in my face, he basically started talking how true peace could never be achieved because everyone looks out for their own interests... To be honest, I'm not sure he's wrong..." He looked down in the direction of his house and said, "I ran straight here even though I knew the Stone would lose more people than Konoha..."

Kakashi turned to Naruto and said, "Naruto, the only thing you proved by coming here, was your humanity... Don't let Hikan fool you into thinking you compromised something by coming here instead of going to the Stone. You have connections here. Friends... Family... If it were any of us who had been put in your situation, I'm sure we'd do the same thing."

Naruto sighed and said, "But that just proves his point... We look out for our own before others..."

Kakashi thought to himself and said, "I don't think there's an easy answer to this Naruto... Maybe we do value some lives more than others...and maybe that's wrong...but the reason we value some lives more than others is because of our connections to people. This is a complicated shinobi world. Don't view everything as black and white. Sometimes you have to wander out into the gray areas and do what you think is right. We all need connections and relationships. If we don't have those connections, maybe choices like the one you had to make today become easier...but I also think that not having those connections means we possibly lose what makes us human..."

Naruto let out a long sigh and said, "Yeah, you're probably right..."

Kakashi was glad that Naruto was finally starting to move past the events of the day, but he could tell that something was still bothering him. He said in a quizzical voice, "You said I'm probably right, but why do I get the feeling that something is still bothering you?..."

Naruto paused for a second, then said in a resigned voice, "I know I had an impossible choice to make today, and I understand that Hikan set us up to fail either way, but it still hurts... I'm supposed to be the hero of the war and the strongest shinobi alive...but I had to sit there watching as that bomb went off. I had to watch those people running in fear. I was just like everyone else...powerless... Right now, I just feel like a big failure, Sensei. We lost 50 people. The Stone probably lost around 200. I can't stop Hikan. And I can't even fix this thing with Sakura... Heck, I wish I could go back to just having to deal with that..."

Kakashi let out a small chuckle then said, "If you want to go back to just dealing with that, you're gonna have to stop Hikan."

Naruto looked out over Konoha pensively and said with a sense of desparation, "But Sensei, how do I stop him? And how many more people are going to die before I figure out how to stop him?... Right now, he's probably killed over 250 people..."

Kakashi looked at Naruto for a few seconds, then said, "Naruto, if there's one thing this shinobi world has taught me, it's that you can't save everybody. If you keep believing that, all you'll end up with is a savior complex..."

After a small pause, Naruto said, "...and it's just gonna get shattered every time people die..."

Kakashi slowly nodded and said, "So you do understand..."

Naruto said, "Yeah...but just because I know I won't be able to save everyone, it doesn't mean I stop trying..."

Kakashi nodded and said, "I agree. We need to stop this guy before he kills anyone else."

Naruto let out a small sigh and said, "The problem is I don't know how to stop him, Sensei. He's good... So good that it's scary..."

Kakashi looked up to the sky as he thought to himself. After a full minute had gone by, he asked Naruto, "Do you know what he believes in?"

Naruto wore a depressed frown and said, "He believes in bringing out the darkness in people...and he's real good at it... While I was over there, I hit him...twice. And I was so angry that I just wanted to keep hitting him. The only reason I didn't is because I knew that was what he wanted... He wanted me to give in to my rage. He wants to see everyone give in to their darkness... That's his vision for the shinobi world..."

Naruto paused for a second then said, "How do you stop someone like that? Someone who does bad things just to bring out the darkness in people...the darkness in you..."

Kakashi looked at him for a second, then said, "Do you remember what you used to say about Sasuke when he was a rogue ninja and other people would talk about trying to kill him?"

Naruto tried to think back, but he wasn't sure exactly what Kakashi was talking about. It was a long time ago and he had said a lot of things back then. He asked in a low voice, "What?"

Kakashi looked out to the village and said, "You used to try to stop people from going after him...not because of the difference in power, but because you believed that he wasn't someone you could beat just by being strong..."

Kakashi turned to Naruto and said, "I don't think you can beat Hikan just by being strong either..."

Naruto tilted his head and said, "Then how do I beat him?..."

Kakashi said, "Well, I think you have to start by trying to understand him. I think that if you can find a way to do that, you may be able to find out how to stop him..."

Naruto slowly nodded as he thought about what Kakashi had said. He knew what Hikan wanted in general, but maybe he needed to look deeper than that. Maybe he didn't really understand yet...

After a few minutes, Kakashi stood up and said, "I know this has been a rough day, but we've gotta push through for the village. I can assure you that Hikan wont wait for us to recover from this. We need to be ready."

Naruto thought to himself for a second, then nodded in agreement. Kakashi was right. The village needed them to be at 100%. No more room for mistakes. Naruto stood up and said, "So where are you going now?..."

Kakashi looked out over the village and said, "I was planning on grabbing something to eat before Sasuke and that medic team came back. If you want, we can go to Ichiraku's..."

Naruto snorted and said, "For once, I think I'll pass. I don't think I've had anything but ramen for the last 24 hours. If I have anymore, I think it's gonna start coming out of my nose..."

Kakashi chuckled then said, "I would've never thought you'd actually get tired of eating ramen. I'd think you'd be willing to eat it for the rest of your life..."

Naruto smiled and said, "You wouldn't be wrong...but I need to focus on finding a way to stop Hikan, so I'll just try to scrounge up something at home..."

Kakashi raised his eyebrow and said, "Ahhh, so that's the real reason why you declined my offer..."

Naruto looked out over the village and said, "Something like that..." After a short pause, he said, "Sensei, we_ have_ to stop this guy."

Kakashi grew serious and said, "I know…"

As Kakashi examined Naruto, he was glad to see that his resolve was back. And not only that, it looked like his resolve had deepened. Like he was somehow more determined than he had ever been. Kakashi smiled and said, "You're gonna be ok, kid..."

Naruto nodded and said, "Thanks... I'm gonna head back to my apartment."

Kakashi replied, "And I'll go grab something to eat..." then he gave a small wave and said, "See you around."

Naruto waved and said, "See ya..."

As the two went their separate ways, Naruto looked in the direction of the Rain and said, "I'll find a way to stop you..." He wore a grave expression then said, "Believe it..."

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	38. Regroup

Ch. 39

It was now nighttime and Naruto had just finished taking a shower. He was drying his hair when he heard his front door open. Sasuke must be back.

He finished changing into his normal clothes, then opened the bathroom door. As he stepped out of the bathroom, he saw that it was in fact Sasuke. He was sitting on the couch brooding as usual. As Naruto headed out of the bathroom, Sasuke stood up and started walking towards it. It had been a long day, and he wanted to take a shower as well.

Naruto dropped his eyes and said, "Not even a hello..." Sasuke said in his usual monotone voice, "Hello."

Naruto didn't make a big deal out of it. He knew it had been a long day, so Sasuke's curt attitude wasn't that surprising. He let out a small sigh and asked, "How's the Stone?..."

Sasuke shrugged and said, "As good as they can be..." as he started walking towards the bathroom.

As Naruto examined Sasuke he noticed that he was a little out of it. His face had its usual blank expression, but it was obvious that he was worn. His face looked tired and his eyes were baggier than usual. The day must've took its toll on him as well. And not only that, it looked like something was really bothering him. Naruto thought about it for a second, then wore a small frown as it dawned on him that Sasuke might be dealing with that same sense of powerlessness that he was dealing with. He was one of the strongest shinobi alive as well, but he still had to watch the destruction with everyone else... And it had to have gotten worse when he got to the Stone. He saw all of the destruction firsthand. On top of that, he probably hadn't talked to anyone either. He just carried that burden alone.

Naruto let out a small sigh. He knew that feeling of powerlessness that Sasuke was feeling and he knew how much it hurt...largely because he had felt it himself. He was so used to seeing Sasuke as cool, calm and collected, that seeing him worn down and out of it kinda took him by surprise. He didn't really know what to say. He wasn't good at talking to people in tough situations like Kakashi was, but he couldn't just not say anything. As Sasuke walked by him, he grabbed his arm and decided to just say whatever came to mind.

He paused for a second then said, "Look man...I'm dealing with that same sense of powerlessness you're dealing with, but we've gotta be stronger. The village _needs_ us to be stronger... None of us could've done anything more today. We gave it everything we had, but we were set up to fail...and I know that doesn't make it any better, but I hope it gives you the motivation to stop this Hikan guy. I think we all know that he's not gonna wait for us to bounce back from this. We have no idea what he's gonna do next or how soon, so we need to be ready..."

As he slowly let go of Sasuke's arm, Sasuke paused for second then gave a small smile and said, "Who talked to you, Kakashi?..."

Naruto dropped his eyes then muttered, "Yeah..."

Sasuke let out a small chuckle then grew serious. He turned to Naruto and said in a reassuring voice, "Kakashi's right. We do need to be ready...but don't worry, I'm not out of the fight. I'm just a little tired."

Naruto felt a little better after hearing that. He was glad to see that Sasuke wasn't feeling as bad as he looked and that he was still in the game. He nodded and said, "Good, then rest up. We're gonna need all the help we can get..." Sasuke nodded in agreement.

After a short pause, Sasuke turned to him and said, "Are you ready for whatever Hikan has planned next?..."

Naruto thought to himself for a second, then finally said, "I'm trying to be..."

Sasuke slowly nodded and said, "Then I'll have your back."

Naruto smiled and said, "I know." Sasuke paused for a second then nodded and continued walking towards the bathroom.

As Sasuke walked into the bathroom, Naruto let out a small sigh and let his body fall onto the couch. It had been a long day and he was feeling tired. He decided he'd take a short nap while Sasuke took a shower. Hopefully, Sasuke would make some food when he was done. He was feeling a little hungry and was starting to regret not taking Kakashi up on his offer for ramen. As he started drifting off, he tried to focus on understanding Hikan and how he could use that to beat him. He wasn't thinking for long though. Within a few seconds, he was fast asleep.

* * *

Naruto had fallen off the couch and was now sleeping on the floor. He felt a small kick to his side and slightly opened his eyes to see Sasuke standing over him. Sasuke squinted and said, "Dobe, you have any food around here?..." Naruto looked up at Sasuke with groggy eyes then slowly let his eyelids close again.

Sasuke wore an annoyed expression and said, "Fine, I'll just keep kicking you then..." Kick. Kick. Kick. On the fourth kick, Naruto finally grabbed his leg and said, "Did you check the cabinets?..." As Sasuke shook his leg free, he rolled his eyes and said, "Yeah...And the refrigerator...and the drawers... Do you ever restock anything?..."

Naruto finally opened his eyes slightly and said with a grin, "Of course...after I run out..."

Sasuke wore a blank expression and said, "You're hopeless."

As Naruto got off of the floor, he slowly walked over to the cabinets and opened them. He had to have some food left, right?... As he opened them one by one, he noticed that each one was completely empty. It was as if that realization made him hungry, because a few seconds later, his stomach started growling.

Sasuke sighed and said, "Now I have to pay for your incompetence..." Naruto squinted his eyes and said, "I'm hungry too, you know..."

Sasuke grunted and said, "Yeah, but you deserve to be hungry."

Naruto retorted, "Well maybe you should've let me know we were out of food when you finished off my ramen supply this morning..."

Sasuke snorted and said, "Tch. If you ate anything other than ramen that wouldn't matter..."

Naruto let out a slight growl, but before he could reply, the two heard a knock at the door. Naruto turned to Sasuke and cast him a curious glance. Sasuke shrugged and said, "I didn't have anyone coming over."

Naruto looked over to his clock to check the time. 9:07 PM. He walked over to the door and slightly cracked it open while giving a suspicious glance. It was getting late and neither of them had anyone coming over, so he wasn't sure who it was. As he saw who it was, he let the door open fully and said, "Sakura? What are you doing here?..."

She smiled and said, "Well, me and Sasuke haven't eaten anything all day and Kakashi said you haven't either."

She gave him a small eyebrow raise and said, "He said you didn't eat because you were sulking at the monument…"

Naruto slowly nodded and said, "Ohhh, did he now..." He would have to find a way to get back at Kakashi later.

Sakura smiled and said, "Anyway, I brought you guys some food. Kakashi said you weren't in the mood for ramen and I'm guessing you don't have that much more here, so I just got you guys some teriyaki chicken from Sarku."

He looked down and noticed that she had three to-go plates. Two were in a bag in her right hand and one was in a bag in her left hand. The bag with two plates must be for him and Sasuke while the bag with one plate was for her.

Before he could say anything, she handed him the two plates with a smile and said, "I'm gonna get going since it's getting kind of late."

As she turned around to leave, Naruto looked at her and said, "Isn't that your food in your other hand?"

She turned back around, then gave a small smile and said, "Yeah, but I'm beat. I'll just eat when I get back to my apartment."

Naruto felt a little bad after hearing that. He knew all about eating alone, and no matter how tired he was, he'd always prefer to eat with others than eat alone. As a kid, he'd spent a lot of nights trying to get rid of that lonely feeling by making shadow clones, but it was never the same as having real people there.

He wore a small smile then said, "Or, if you want..." he nodded towards the inside and said, "...you could eat with us."

Sakura let out a small smile and said, "I don't know…" She wanted to accept the offer, but she was pretty sure that he had invited her in out of pity. He had probably felt sorry for her when he heard she was eating alone and then decided to invite her in. Despite his friendly attitude, she could tell that he was still keeping her at a distance. It was like he could let her get a little close to him, but not too close and definitely not as close as they used to be.

Naruto looked at her and said, "Is that a yes?..." She looked at him and let out a small sigh. She was really considering the offer, but she didn't want to be invited in out of pity...the problem was she didn't feel like eating alone either…

Naruto noticed she looked like she couldn't make up her mind and said, "With everything that's happened, I think we could all use the company..." He looked inside towards Sasuke and said, "Plus, just eating with Sasuke is boring..." Sasuke mumbled, "Feeling's mutual." Naruto smirked then turned back to her and said, "Come on... You know you wanna..."

Sakura thought about it for a bit longer, then finally gave in. She let out a small smile as she agreed to come in. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't resist that blond idiot. After she accepted the offer, Naruto smiled and said, "Cool." as he stepped to the side and let her in.

As she stepped inside, Sasuke said, "Good thing you came when you did. Dobe doesn't have any food..." As Sakura shook her head disapprovingly, Naruto said, "Don't pay attention to him, Sakura. I just ran out sooner than I thought I would..." He raised an eyebrow at Sasuke, then cast him a teasing smirk and said, "Food runs out quicker when you have more mouths to feed..." Sasuke rolled his eyes and said, "Right..."

Sakura wore a small smile as she watched their antics. They finally looked like friends again. To be honest, they actually looked more like brothers than friends...arguing as usual. As Sakura took in the sight, she let out a pained smile. She wished that things could be like that between her and Naruto, but she knew why they couldn't, and for once, she didn't feel sorry for herself, she just felt regretful. She thought that she'd always have Naruto by her side. That they'd face everything together. That they'd take on the world if they needed to. But he wasn't by her side, at least not how he used to be. And what made it hurt the most was the fact that it was her fault. She let out a small sigh as she thought about how things weren't the same, and how they may never be the same again. But it was her fault and she'd just have to find a way to live with that. She decided to try to think of something more pleasant and focused on Naruto and Sasuke. They were still arguing so she crossed her arms to show that she was waiting for them to stop. After a while, the two noticed her standing there with crossed arms and finally stopped their bickering.

Sakura said, "Took you guys long enough…" Naruto paused for a second then said under his breath, "I still say it was Sasuke's fault..." Sasuke grunted and said, "Let's just eat..."

Naruto finally dropped it and said, "Good idea..." He looked over to the kitchen table and noticed there were only two chairs. He didn't really have much reason to have any more chairs at the table. Over the years, he had been so isolated that he rarely ate with anyone else. He'd eat with Kakashi every now and then, but other than that, he was a loner.

He looked around and decided to just use the couch as another chair. He walked over to it then lifted it with relative ease and placed it on the side of the table. He didn't try to make sure it was perfectly straight, he was just content to have moved it. Sakura watched him with an amused smile. His place looked cleaner, but he was still the same. ANBU might have made him clean up his apartment a bit, but he still moved things out of their place without a second thought.

Naruto sat down on the couch and waited for the two to join him. Sasuke grabbed the to-go plates from Sakura and motioned for her to sit down. She sat down on one chair while Sasuke sat on the other one.

As the three got ready to eat, Naruto said, "Kinda like old times, huh?..."

Sakura gave a small smile and nodded, then Sasuke smiled and said, "We're just missing Kakashi..."

Naruto smiled and said, "He would've liked this..."

Sakura wore a small smile and said, "Yeah... He was gonna walk me home, but he's meeting with Tsunade..."

Naruto looked down and silently said, "That makes sense..."

As the three started eating, there was an obvious silence between them. It wasn't an awkward silence though, it was just a silence that showed that everyone was taking in the moment.

The overall tone was very mellow and relaxed. Everyone just knew that they were in friendly company.

After a few minutes, Naruto said, "This is nice..."

Sakura let out a small smile and said, "Yeah..."

Sasuke nodded and said, "It'd be a lot nicer if Hikan wasn't out there..."

Naruto dropped his eyes and said, "Way to kill the mood, Teme..."

After Sasuke realized what he'd done, he looked down and said, "Sorry..."

Naruto didn't actually mean to make Sasuke feel bad. He was just messing with him. He let out a small chuckle and said, "It's fine, I was just joking. I think he's in the back of all of our minds..."

Sasuke sighed and said, "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Sakura turned to Naruto and said, "Any progress with that while we were gone?..."

Naruto shook his head and said, "Not really... We have no idea what he's going to do next so we're still in the dark."

Sakura looked at him and asked, "How are you holding up?..."

Naruto shrugged and said, "I'll be fine. The village needs us at 100%, so I just have to stay focused."

Sakura examined him and noticed that he wasn't as much of an emotional wreck as he was earlier, but he was still obviously bothered by what had happened. He was just trying to mask it so he could be strong for the village. She gave him a semi-worried smile and said, "Just take care of yourself..."

Naruto gave her a quizzical look and asked, "Why do you say that?"

Sakura gave a concerned smile and said, "Because the people who are the worst at taking care of themselves are usually the ones the world needs the most..."

Naruto thought about it for a second, then looked away and said, "Maybe...but I'll be able to take better care of myself after we've beat Hikan and everyone is safe..."

Sakura looked at him and wore a small smile. He still had that same drive to protect others, no matter what the cost...

Sasuke sat back in his chair and said, "Well, it's gonna be hard to beat him if we don't have anything to work with..."

Naruto paused for a second then said, "The only thing I have to go on right now is something Kakashi told me..." He thought to himself pensively then said, "He said that if I could understand Hikan, I might be able to find a way to beat him..."

Sasuke paused for a second then said, "Do you understand him?"

Naruto looked into his plate of food, then said, "I thought I did, but now I'm not so sure. I understand his goals in general, but I'm thinking that maybe there's something deeper than that...Something else that I have to understand..."

Sakura tilted her head a little and asked, "Like what?"

Naruto let out a loud sigh and said, "I'm not sure..."

Sasuke thought to himself for a few seconds, then said, "Maybe you should start with his general ideals and move on from there."

Naruto thought about it, then said, "Well, in general, he believes in bringing out the darkness in people. That's his main goal, and that's why he doesn't believe in peace, but where do I go from there?..."

Sasuke gave a small shrug and said, "Maybe you should ask yourself why he's trying to bring out the darkness in people. What's his motivation?"

Naruto shook his head and said, "I don't know..."

After a short pause between the three, Naruto said, "You guys should hear him speak... His voice is filled with so much rage and hate...but there's also a deep resolve..."

Sasuke asked, "A resolve to do what?"

Naruto replied, "To prove that his vision of the shinobi world is the right one..."

Sasuke asked, "And what's his vision for the shinobi world?"

Naruto let out a sigh and said, "He wants to see everyone to give in to their darkness, but now we're back to square one..."

Sasuke sat back and softly said, "It would seem we are..."

The three sat there in silence for a few minutes as they just thought about what Hikan's motivation might be.

As the silence dragged on, Naruto let out a small sigh and said, "I guess I didn't understand him as well as I thought. I may know what he wants, but I have no idea why he wants it..."

Sasuke added, "Or why he wants it so badly…"

After a long pause, Sakura wore a sad smile and softly said, "From what you've said, it sounds like you guys are kinda opposite sides of the same coin..."

Naruto turned to her and said in a confused voice, "What?"

Sakura shrugged and said, "Well Hikan wants to tear everyone apart. He wants people to give into their darkness and watch the world go to hell. You, on the other hand, live your life trying to bring out the good in people. You try to bring people together. You want to see a world where there's peace and understanding between shinobi. He wants to bring out the worst in people, but you want to bring out the best in people..."

Naruto thought about it for a second, then said, "He said that same thing to me when I was over there... Maybe he was right..."

Sasuke noted the heavy atmosphere and said, "This is actually a good thing. If you guys are really opposite sides of the same coin, then you may be the key to beating him."

Naruto gave him an inquisitive look and said, "How?"

After a short pause, Sasuke looked down with a pensive expression and said, "Hikan tries his hardest to bring out the worst in people. You try your hardest to bring out the best in people. If we can figure out why you try to bring out the best in people, maybe we'll also figure out why he tries to bring out the worst in people."

He focused on Naruto and said, "So why do you try to bring out the best in people, Naruto?..."

Naruto thought about it for a second, then shrugged and said, "Throughout my life I had a lot of people who either didn't like me or didn't want anything to do with me...usually it was a mix of both..." He wore a sad smile and said, "So I had a choice to make. I could turn my back on those people and give in to my rage or I could give into something better and try to help them."

Sasuke said, "So you've lived your life trying to bring out the best in people because you chose to give into something better..."

Naruto said, "Yeah, I guess..."

After a short pause, Sakura said, "Maybe Hikan didn't..."

As Naruto and Sasuke turned to her, she tilted her head and said, "Maybe he didn't give in to something better... Maybe he gave into his rage and hate. And maybe the reason he wants everyone to give into their darkness...is because he's already given into his..."

Naruto thought about it for a moment, then said, "That might be it..."

Sasuke sat up straight and said, "If that's the case, then now it makes sense. That's why he wants everyone to give into their darkness. He wants to prove that everyone is like him..."

As Naruto thought about it, it was like a light bulb went off in his head. He leaned on the table and said, "It all makes sense now... When I met him, he said that the stunt in Konoha was just to grab our attention. He attacked while we were weak so he could get my attention. Now that he has it, he's trying to prove his point. That's what he said it was about...proving a point."

As he started to piece the puzzle together, he said, "That's what it's always been about... That's why he does everything he does... While I was over there, he baited me into hitting him, and when I did, he started laughing... Everything is either a means to prove that he's right or an attempt to get me to a place where I'll prove him right. That's why he set up those two bombs. He forced me to make an impossible decision because he wants to break me... He wants to send me off the deep end and prove that anyone can be like him...including me..."

Naruto looked around slowly and said, "I think I know how to beat him..." As Sasuke and Sakura waited in anticipation, Naruto said, "If proving that everyone is like him is so important to him...then I have to prove him wrong..."

Sasuke asked, "And how are you gonna do that?..."

Naruto said in a grave voice, "I don't know... It'll all depend on what he does next..."

After a short pause, Sasuke said, "We have no way of having any idea what that will be..."

Naruto said, "No, we don't..." then looked up with a resolute stare and said, "...but at least we know what has to be done..."

Sasuke nodded and said, "Yeah..."

Sakura noticed the tense atmosphere and said, "Don't worry. We'll get him..."

Naruto looked at her and said, "Yeah, we will...we will..."

As the night went on, the three moved away from the topic of Hikan and talked about more lighthearted things. It was refreshing to just talk about things that didn't have such high stakes attached to them, especially after such a crazy day. They talked deep into the night before finally parting ways.

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	39. The Calm before the Storm

Ch. 40

As Naruto sat cross-legged atop the Hokage monument, he felt the gentle breeze he had grown so accustomed to feeling whenever he was up there. It was a new day and the sun was brightly shining in the sky. It would hide behind the occasional cloud, but for the most part, it was a sunny day. He had taken a new liking to the spot due to its overall mellow atmosphere.

He normally wouldn't be so aware of his surroundings, but he had been meditating for a large part of the morning. After going out for breakfast with Sasuke, he decided to head to the monument and meditate. He had invited Sasuke to meditate as well, but Sasuke had decided to train instead. Naruto would have joined him, but he knew that Hikan was more of a threat to his mind than his body.

As he sat there meditating, he tried to mentally prepare for whatever Hikan may do next. He didn't have much to go off of, but he was glad that he had taken Kakashi's advice. Last night, his conversation with Sasuke and Sakura had given him some clues as to why Hikan did the things he did. It definitely helped him understand his actions, and he felt like he had a better grasp of who he was fighting. Regardless, he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that Hikan had a trick or two still up his sleeve. He may have a general idea of how to stop Hikan, but he still wasn't sure what to expect. Unfortunately, it always felt like he had no clue what to expect with Hikan involved.

After a few more seconds of silent meditation, he heard footsteps coming up the monument steps. He could sense that it was Sasuke so he just kept his eyes closed and said, "What is it?"

Sasuke finally reached the top and said, "Kakashi said we have a briefing in the Hokage's office 10 minutes from now."

Naruto nodded and said, "Got it." as he finally let his eyes open.

He was hoping that Tsunade and Kakashi would have some new intel for them to work with so he had been ready to go at any moment.

As he stood up, he let out a small sigh and asked, "You think we have some new intel?..."

Sasuke thought about it for a second, then said, "Maybe… We'll find out when we get there." Naruto nodded in agreement as the two started heading down the monument steps.

* * *

As the two stepped into the Hokage building, they ran into Sakura. Sasuke gave a small nod of acknowledgement while Naruto gave a small smile and said, "Morning."

She gave a small smile and replied, "Morning."

The three had stayed up talking for a good portion of the night, so it helped to reduce that awkward atmosphere that had surrounded them previously.

As they journeyed towards the Hokage's office, Sakura asked, "You guys know what this is about?..."

Naruto shrugged and said, "No idea. We're as clueless as you are…"

After a short pause, she kept looking forward and said, "Hopefully it's some intel we can work with."

Naruto replied with a sigh, "Hopefully…"

As the three opened the door to the Hokage's office, they saw Tsunade sitting behind her desk while Kakashi was standing to the left of her desk with his arms crossed.

Kakashi looked at the three of them and said, "How are you guys feeling?..." He knew that yesterday had been a long day, so he was hoping they had recovered some.

Naruto shrugged and said, "We're fine…" Then Sasuke and Sakura nodded in agreement.

Kakashi knew that the three always tried to look better then they actually felt, so he made sure to actually examine them. To his surprise, he noticed that the three actually looked like they were in pretty good shape…especially compared to yesterday. It looked like they had somehow recharged their batteries. For once, Sakura looked like she actually had a good night's sleep; Sasuke didn't look tired anymore; and Naruto didn't look anywhere near as broken as he did yesterday. They looked like they had found a new resolve. Maybe something had happened when Sakura brought them their food last night. Kakashi had sent her to Naruto's apartment with his own goals in mind and he was glad to see that it had worked. A little bonding time never hurt anyone. Kakashi wasn't sure what had happened, but whatever it was, he was just happy that it did happen. Whatever it was had served to give them back their determination. Kakashi noted that Naruto looked the most determined of all. There was a seriousness in his face that wasn't forced, it was simply the result of deep focus.

As Tsunade looked at the three, she said, "I'm glad you guys have recovered…" She moved an envelope that was resting on the desk towards them and said, "…but unfortunately most of the shinobi world hasn't…"

She nodded towards the envelope and said, "That arrived this morning..."

Naruto picked it up and said, "What is this?..."

Tsunade replied, "A high alert notice. Pass it around."

Naruto opened it, then spent a little while reading it and passed it to Sasuke. He turned to Tsunade and said, "So the Hot Water Village is on high alert?..."

Tsunade reached into one of the desk drawers on her right and pulled out a huge stack of envelopes. She set them down on the table and said, "They're not the only ones…"

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura all wore shocked expressions at the huge stack of envelopes.

Tsunade looked at them and said, "I'm pretty sure there are gonna be a lot more coming in as the day goes on…"

Naruto asked, "Those are all from different villages?..."

Tsunade said, "Yeah. They're all letting us know that they're now on high alert. For the time being, they won't be accepting visitors of any kind. No one in or out of their village. They're basically letting us know that if we approach their village, we'll be met with lethal force…"

Naruto silently said, "All of this is because of Hikan's bombing of the Stone…"

Kakashi said, "That, and his former attack against us. When he attacked us, most of the other villages were on edge. Their reasoning was that if he had the audacity to attack us, he could attack anyone…"

"And now he's confirmed their suspicions…" said Sasuke as he handed the high alert notice to Sakura.

Kakashi replied, "Unfortunately, yes. By attacking us, he put everyone on edge. And by bombing the Stone, he's confirmed their fears and proved that he is willing to attack anyone. No village is safe. As a result, a lot of the villages are on high alert."

Naruto looked down and said, "This is insane…" After a short pause, he looked up and asked, "Are we on high alert?..."

Kakashi said, "With you guys here, we'd like to think that we're pretty safe…so no, we're not on high alert at the moment. We also don't want to worry the villagers anymore than they already are. Ever since news of the bomb got out, the village has been in somewhat of a riot. If we put the village on high alert, the people are gonna think something else is wrong."

Naruto let out a sigh and said, "Hikan just keeps getting closer to getting what he wants…"

Kakashi shot Naruto an inquisitive glance and said, "And what's that?"

Naruto said, "He wants to prove that everyone is like him. To create a world of anarchy… The shinobi world is scared right now. He's gonna try to push them to their breaking point…"

After a long pause, Kakashi said, "Maybe you're right, but unfortunately, we have no proof that Hikan is behind the bombings so we can't touch him..."

Naruto said in an exasperated voice, "Come on, Sensei. By now everyone has to know it's him…"

Kakashi replied, "True, but Hikan has covered his tracks as usual. There's nothing linking him to the bombing in the Stone. Without proof, we'd just have accusations. And with how good he is at spinning things his way, he could start a war with our accusations. On top of that, he still has the Rain's support."

Naruto said in an exasperated voice, "But by now, even the Rain has to know he's behind the attacks. He can't still have their support."

Kakashi replied, "You'd be surprised…"

Naruto cast Kakashi a quizzical look and asked, "What does that mean?"

Kakashi gave a small shrug and said, "I'm pretty sure that by now the people of the Rain have figured out that he's behind the attacks, but he's still in power. And last I heard, no one is trying to remove him from power…"

Naruto said in an unsure voice, "So you think he has their support?..."

Kakashi replied, "Maybe partially… I've got some people over there and word is that there are two groups. Those that are too scared to oppose him, and those that actually support him."

Naruto said, "What?! How could some of them support someone like that?..."

Kakashi shrugged and said, "Because despite all of the horrible things he's doing, the Rain is feared right now. Some of the people like that."

Naruto said in a voice of disbelief, "So they're ok with a terrorist leading them if they're feared?…"

Kakashi replied, "Well when you've been on the bottom for a while, there's a tendency to not care how you get to the top…"

After a short pause, Naruto looked away and said, "That's just sad…"

Kakashi said, "Maybe…but it's the reality…"

After a moment of silence, Tsunade said, "As bad as the shinobi world looks right now, that's not the main reason we called you guys in here."

As everyone turned to face her, she opened the top drawer on her left hand side and pulled out a yellow envelope.

Naruto looked at it inquisitively and asked, "What's that?"

Kakashi answered, "A little gift from Hikan… It just arrived…"

Naruto gave the envelope a suspicious glance as he picked it up and started looking at it. On the outside, it read: To the Hero of the 4th Great Ninja War.

He tightened his upper lip, then opened it and slowly pulled out the contents.

...

He rolled his eyes in annoyance as he saw that it was the pictures they had taken when he went to the Rain. Both of them were standing there smiling into the cameras. At the bottom of the picture it read: _Something to remember me by…_

Naruto looked at the picture for a few seconds, then sarcastically said, "He really kinda grows on you doesn't he…"

Kakashi said, "You haven't even gotten to the best part…"

Naruto cast him a quizzical glance and said, "What do you mean?"

Kakashi replied, "Look at the back."

Naruto flipped over the picture and saw that Hikan had handwritten a note. He read it aloud. "Endgame. Today at noon. Valley of the End…"

Naruto immediately grew serious and said, "So he's got another plan…"

Kakashi said, "Unfortunately, it looks that way…"

After a short pause, Sasuke said, "Endgame, huh…"

Naruto sighed and said, "Yeah, and he's calling me out this time so he's gotta be confident in whatever he's got planned…"

Kakashi nodded and said, "Exactly, so you need to be careful…"

After a long pause, Naruto said, "So I'm guessing that means I'm leaving soon."

Kakashi replied, "Yes you are. How long do you think it'll take you to get to the Valley?"

Naruto let out a small shrug and said, "Probably less than an hour."

Kakashi said, "Ok. We'll coordinate everything at the main gate. Right now, some of our shinobi are stuck in other villages because of the high alert notices, but those that are still in Konoha are meeting us at the main gate in 10 minutes."

He glanced over to the clock on the wall. 10:48 AM. He turned to everyone present and said, "Let's get moving. We're on the clock…again."

The three nodded in agreement as they turned around to leave. As they stepped outside, Naruto let out a loud sigh and said, "This is it…"

Sasuke said, "Yeah, this is it. But we knew we'd have to be strong for the village. We prepared for this, so we'll be fine."

Naruto slowly shook his head and said, "Yeah..."

As they kept walking through the building, Sasuke asked, "Are you gonna go alone?"

Naruto thought about it for a second, then let out a sigh and said, "I don't know… The last time I met him, he made it clear that if I would've brought anyone, they would've been in danger…"

Sasuke replied, "Last time, you were in his territory. He had the advantage. He could've separated you from those accompanying you and you would've had your hands tied since you were there as a diplomat. If you guys are meeting at the Valley, it's not his territory. He can't control things as easily. On top of that, the main reason you went alone was so that we could try to get some intel covertly. It's obvious that we're through playing games, so you going alone or with a team is a decision you have to make… And I suggest you make that decision fast, or Tsunade and Kakashi might make it for you…"

Naruto thought about it for a while then said, "Maybe I'll take a small team…" He paused for a second then nervously said, "…but no matter what, I need you to stay here…"

Sakura's eyes widened while Sasuke looked at him inquisitively and asked, "Why?..."

Naruto let out a sigh and said, "I can't risk Hikan coming here and catching us off guard again. I need to know I have someone I can trust here."

Sasuke examined Naruto for a moment then said, "Ok."

Naruto was expecting Sasuke to at least be disgruntled at the news, but he seemed to be taking it in stride. He gave him a curious look and said, "You're not mad?..."

Sasuke gave a small shrug and said, "No… If there's one good thing that came from our skirmishes with Hikan, it's that you're improving. In the past, you would've just taken the strongest team you could find. You've learned that power isn't everything. He's forcing you to be smarter..."

Naruto thought about it for a second and said, "Yeah…I guess he is…"

After a little while, he turned to Sasuke and said, "So if I'm getting smarter, am I still a dobe?" Sasuke replied, "You'll always be a dobe..." Naruto let out a small chuckle as they continued walking through the building.

* * *

As the three exited the Hokage Building, Naruto turned to Sasuke and said, "You mind giving us a minute…" Sasuke looked at him for a second, then nodded and said, "I'll head to the main gate…"

After he was a reasonable distance away, Naruto turned to Sakura and said, "Look…I know we're not like we used to be, but I need to know you're with me."

Sakura let out a small smile and said, "Of course…"

Naruto looked into the distance and said, "If I do have a team, I'm trying to keep it small. The less people the better…" He turned to her and said, "I'm planning on taking you with me. I need people I can trust, and despite how things are between us, you're one of the people I trust the most…so do you have my back?..."

Sakura said in a voice that showed she wanted him to already know the answer, "Naruto, I'll always have your back..."

Naruto noticed that it actually pained her for him to have asked her that with uncertainty. He felt a little bad so he decided to just continue the conversation.

He looked towards the main gate and said, "The only other person I'll probably take is Kakashi. It doesn't matter if our team is small. We both know that overpowering Hikan physically isn't an issue. I have no idea what to expect so I'll need the sharpest minds out there. You're the smartest girl I know, and it's no secret how smart Kakashi is in the field."

As Sakura examined him, she could see that he was really focused on bringing Hikan down. It was the most focused she had seen him in a long time. He had to be blaming himself for not being able to stop Hikan sooner. She looked at him and said in a soft voice, "Don't worry…we'll get him…"

Naruto wore a small smile and said, "Yeah…" as they began to head towards the main gate.

As the two started heading towards the main gate, Naruto quietly said, "If you want, we can talk about things between us when we get back, but right now, we've just gotta focus on stopping this guy..."

Sakura slowly turned to face him. He was very purposefully avoiding her gaze by looking straight towards the gate. She never expected him to approach her on the subject of their relationship. She thought that he was just content with being comrades, but maybe he wasn't happy with where they were either. She let out a small smile and said, "Ok…"

* * *

As the two arrived, they saw that Tsunade, Kakashi and Sasuke were standing by each other. The other nin present were Shikamaru, Ino, Choji, Neji, Kiba and Akamaru, Shino, and Hinata.

Tsunade said, "I think that's everyone."

Kiba said, "Yeah…everyone who's not stuck in another village…"

Naruto looked at him and said, "We're gonna stop this guy…"

Kiba said, "I hope so..."

Kakashi waited until the conversation was finished, then turned to Naruto and said, "Now that you guys are here, let's coordinate." He crossed his arms and said, "Hikan knows we're onto him, so there's no point in trying to be diplomatic. Naruto, you'll be heading in with a team-" Naruto cut him off and said, "You and Sakura."

Tsunade turned to him and said, "What?..."

Naruto said in a firm voice, "I only want to take Kakashi and Sakura."

Tsunade looked over to Sasuke and said, "What about him?"

Naruto said, "We've already talked. He's staying here to help protect the village just in case Hikan has something up his sleeve."

Tsunade turned to Sasuke and gave him a questioning glance. Sasuke simply said, "He's right. We need someone here to protect the village."

Shikamaru turned to Naruto and said, "You're going to need all the help you can get. Take Sasuke with you. The only reason Hikan was able to do the damage he did the first time is because most of us weren't here. If he runs into us, we'd be able to stop him."

Naruto slowly shook his head and said, "I'm not too sure about that…"

Neji said, "I think you are underestimating us…"

Naruto replied, "No… I think you all are underestimating Hikan..."

Kiba said, "He may be strong, but if he comes here, he wouldn't be able to take all of us on."

Naruto replied, "You can't beat him just by being strong. Sasuke has to be here."

Shikamaru crossed in arms in annoyance and said, "Look Naruto. You may have all of your powers, but Hikan still has a Sharingan and a Rinnegan. We have no idea what jutsu he knows or if he has any techniques that you need to be wary of. If you fight him, it'll be helpful to have someone with similar abilities on your side."

Naruto said, "I'll be fine."

Shikamaru's voice noticeably changed into one of exasperation as he said, "You can't always just do what you want Naruto. If Sasuke stays, at least take some of us with you. If it's just you, Kakashi and Sakura your team is too small."

Naruto firmly said, "No. That's not necessary. You guys stay here as backup for Sasuke in case things go south."

Shikamaru dropped his arms and said, "Dammit Naruto! You're not making this any easier."

Naruto remained resolute and said, "That's because I know my plan works…"

Kiba said, "We don't even know what plans Hikan has. How do you know your plan works? He could be trying to end the world for all we know."

Naruto shook his head and said, "Trust me, he's not gonna be doing anything like that…"

Shikamaru said, "How do you know?"

Naruto said, "Because he still has something to prove to himself and to the world. He can't destroy it...not until he's proved his point…"

Kiba half yelled, "What does that even mean?!"

Naruto said, "It means that I know what he wants to prove and I know that he would never try to destroy the world unless he had proven it."

Shikamaru shook his head and said, "And you're willing to bet the future of the world on that?..."

Naruto looked away for a second then looked back to Shikamaru and said in an unyielding voice, "Sasuke stays."

Hinata noticed the tense atmosphere and tried to calm things down a bit. She softly said, "Naruto-kun, if Sasuke went with you, we'd have plenty of people left to defend Konoha."

Naruto let out a small sigh and said, "I know Hinata, but I want Sasuke here."

Shikamaru said, "Well, unfortunately, you don't always get what you want."

Naruto replied in a slightly more excited state, "It's not just about what I want. It's about who we're dealing with… There are no other options…"

Ino said, "But maybe we could-"

Naruto cut her off and said, "NO!"

His reaction startled everyone and led to a moment of silence falling over the group. After a short pause, he let out a small sigh and said, "I'm sorry, but no…" He looked around and said, "Trust me… Hikan doesn't have some crazy plan to end the world…but he knows that if he does something to either or all of you, he's gonna end my world… And I'm not letting that happen…" He looked down and said, "Despite how things have been these past few years, I care about each and every one of you… And I'm not gonna risk losing even one of you…or any of the villagers…"

After he said that, there was a moment of silence as everyone realized why he was pushing so hard for Sasuke to stay.

After a short pause, Shino said, "So you're trying to prevent collateral damage…" He thought to himself for a second then said, "Now it makes sense. You need a killer who's strong enough to immediately deal with the threat, and you know that Sasuke won't hesitate to do what needs to be done if Hikan ends up coming here..."

Naruto paused for a moment then slowly shook his head and said, "Yes…"

After a few moments of silence, Shino said, "I'm with Naruto…"

After a short pause, Sakura said, "So am I. No more collateral damage…"

Naruto looked at the both of them and gave them small nods of thanks.

Neji turned to Naruto and said, "If I would have known your full reasoning, I would have been with you from the start."

Naruto let out a small smile and softly said, "I'll try to explain myself better next time…"

Kiba jokingly said, "You better…"

As the mood finally started to relax some, Tsunade looked over to the clock by the main gate. 11:03 AM. She turned to Kakashi and said, "We're running low on time. We've gotta make a decision."

Kakashi thought about it, then said, "I trust him."

Tsunade replied, "So do I, but does that mean we just let him do this his way?..."

Kakashi paused for a second then said, "Let's allow him to make the decision, but we'll also let him know that if something doesn't work out because of how he chose to do things…it's on him."

Tsunade said, "That would be a tough thing for him to live with if something went wrong."

Kakashi sighed then said, "I thought I could continue to protect Naruto from the harsher realities of this world, but the reality is that he's going to have to make decisions like these. He'll have to make them now and even more so when he's Hokage. And he'll have to learn to live with the consequences of making a bad choice. I just really hope that right now he's making a good one…"

After a short pause, Tsunade sighed and said, "Ok... We'll do that..."

Kakashi nodded then stepped towards Naruto. He said in a firm voice, "Tsunade and I have decided to let you follow your plan, but just know that if anything goes wrong because of your plan, it's on you…"

Naruto thought to himself for a second then said, "If I truly understand Hikan, then this is the best plan...and I stand by that..."

Kakashi nodded and said, "Ok… Then let's go."

Naruto gave a nod of approval and started walking towards the main gate. His walk was determined. Strong. Resolute. As Kakashi watched him, he couldn't help but feel a bit of pride. Naruto may have changed a bit, but deep down, he was still the same person he used to be. He still had that same drive to protect those closest to him and he was willing to fight tooth and nail to make sure they were safe. He let out a small smile and said under his breath, "Are you watching, Master Jiraiya?..."

Naruto looked back to Kakashi and said, "You coming Sensei?..." He looked up and saw that Naruto and Sakura were now standing outside the gate. He got ahold of himself and started walking over to them. As he arrived, Naruto said, "It's not like you to daydream Sensei…" Kakashi let out a small smile and said, "I do every now and then…"

Naruto smiled and said, "Ready?"

Kakashi replied, "Yeah."

Naruto looked forward and said, "Good. Let's go stop this guy."

Not long after, the three were engulfed in the orange chakra that had become so well known to all. As the Kurama avatar formed, Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi gave small waves to everyone still on the floor.

As they prepared to fly off, Naruto wore a small smirk and said, "That's so Sasuke…"

Sakura and Kakashi looked down and saw that Sasuke was standing there with his arms crossed.

Naruto looked at him and gave a small nod. Sasuke returned the nod to which Sakura said, "At least he nodded. Usually you'd be lucky to get a blink out of him."

Naruto let out a small chuckle and said, "Yeah, I guess you're right…"

As they started flying away, Naruto said, "Hope you guys are ready for whatever this is…" Sakura nodded and Kakashi said, "We will see. We will see…"

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	40. Endgame - Part 1

Ch. 41

Orochimaru was working in his lab when he heard some clamoring outside. The Sound wasn't really that much of a village so hearing the people making a ruckus was unusual. He decided to put his work on hold and go investigate. Before he could even put his tools down, his lab door burst open. He turned around and saw that it was Jugo. He gave him an inquisitive glance and asked, "What's going on out there?"

Jugo said, "You're gonna wanna see this…"

The two headed outside where they met Suigetsu and Karin. As Orochimaru and Jugo joined them, Suigetsu nodded towards the sky and said, "Look who's back…"

Orochimaru looked towards the sky and saw that there was a man floating a good distance off of the ground. As his eyes focused in, he said, "That bastard has the audacity to come to my village…"

Karin shook her head and said, "I don't think it's him..."

Orochimaru turned and said, "What?"

Karin replied, "He hasn't really been doing much since he arrived. He's been hovering there for some time now. It's like he's waiting for orders..."

Orochimaru turned to her and said, "You think it's a shadow clone?"

Karin shrugged and said, "Maybe...but if it is, I can't sense the real one anywhere near here..."

Jugo said, "If he's not close enough for you to sense him, how is he even sustaining the shadow clone from wherever he is?..."

Orochimaru paused for a second then said, "Hikan's chakra reserves are large enough for him to pull off something like this...with practice. I'm just wondering what he's planning." Right after he said that, the shadow clone stretched its hand towards the sky. Everyone watched as a small black sphere floated out of his hand and started hovering in the sky. The shadow clone then folded its hands and remained blank faced as it floated above the village.

Orochimaru looked up and said, "He has another thing coming if he thinks I'm just going to let him activate that thing..."

Before Orochimaru could do anything, the televisions all around the Sound started flickering. Orochimaru looked around at the static screens and said, "What's going on?" Suigetsu, Jugo and Karin looked as confused as he did. After a few more seconds, the screen finally came into focus. The four turned to a screen that was visible from a small shack nearby and saw that it was none other than Hikan. Orochimaru said under his breath, "What game is he playing?..."

Hikan looked into the camera with a grin and said, "Hello citizens of the shinobi world. I'm sure that by now, most of you know my name." He wore a proud smile and said, "A fact I'm very proud of..." He cracked his knuckles then said, "Up until now I've made sure to keep my name clean in association with any recent attacks. Due to what's about to happen, that probably won't be possible anymore..."

Orochimaru gave an eye squint and said, "What's he doing?..."

Hikan grew serious and said, "To start things off, I was the one behind the destruction of Konoha, and I was the one behind the bombings at the Stone. I'm also the one who's responsible for the little experiment that's about to take place. You see, I'm doing some research into the human condition. Unfortunately for two villages, they will be the platform for this social experiment. Those two villages being the Hot Water and the Sound."

Orochimaru scoffed and said, "So we're just supposed to be a part of his game..."

Hikan continued and said, "If you live in either of those villages, you will see that I have shadow clones there. If you look at the two shadow clones, you will notice that they have created very small black spheres. Those spheres, if activated, will have the gravitational force to kill a _loooooot_ of people..."

As the Sound's people started to murmur amongst themselves, Hikan raised his hands and said in a sarcastically happy voice, "Fortunately, both of the spheres don't need to be activated!" As the people started paying attention again, Hikan raised an eyebrow and said, "One village can save itself... All that village has to do is have their leader yell up to my shadow clone and let it know that you want your village to be saved. My shadow clone will dispatch itself and remove the sphere, thus giving me knowledge of what happened."

Hikan smiled into the camera and said, "Quick footnote, if you tell my shadow clone to spare your village, you will be responsible for the destruction of the other one..." Orochimaru wore a small scowl as the people started to make a ruckus again.

After a short pause, Hikan wore a sarcastically sad frown and said, "If both villages refuse to save themselves by noon...then I just activate both spheres and nobody wins..."

Hikan raised a finger and said, "Ground rules: If my shadow clones see anyone leaving the Sound or the Hot Water, they will activate the spheres; if anyone tries to attack my shadow clones, they will activate the spheres; if anyone from outside the two villages tries to provide aid, my shadow clones will activate the spheres; and if my shadow clones even think something suspicious is happening, they will immediately activate the spheres... I think you all get the picture..."

He looked into the camera and said, "So who's it gonna be... Will the scum of the Sound prove that they're worthy of their title or will the Hot Water prove that it hasn't forgotten wars after all..." He clapped his hands and said, "On that note, I'll leave you all to decide what to do...and you might wanna decide quickly before the other village makes a decision that doesn't favor you..."

As the TV cut off, the Sound ninja started clamoring towards Orochimaru. Orochimaru made sure to retain his iron grip. He turned towards the crowd and said in an authoritative voice, "This is my choice and my choice alone! I built everything you all see and I will decide what happens to it!" He looked at the crowd with a stern look and said, "If anyone has an objection to that, step forward..."

The people slowly quieted down until there was complete silence. Orochimaru said, "I thought not." then turned around as he started thinking to himself.

Suigetsu asked, "There's nothing we can do to stop that thing?..."

Orochimaru paused then said, "It wouldn't be easy. We'd have to destroy it, either before it was activated or early in the process...but if we did that, I'm pretty sure the shadow clone would dispatch itself. As soon as that happened, Hikan would know what happened then he'd destroy the Hot Water."

Suigetsu gave Orochimaru an inquisitive look and said, "I'm surprised you care about the Hot Water... Going soft?..."

Orochimaru replied, "Tch. I just don't want Hikan to get what he wants, and what he wants is for one village to destroy the other... I will not be a pawn in his game..."

After a short pause, Suigetsu looked up at the sphere and said, "Well you better think of something by noon, or we're gonna be a part of his game whether we like it or not..."

* * *

Meanwhile in the Hot Water, the Hot Water Daimyo was standing in the center of the village trying to calm the people. After Hikan's speech, the village was in a tumult about what should be done.

The daimyo raised his hands and said, "Settle down. We'll talk this through as a village."

A random woman yelled out, "While we're talking, the Sound is probably condemning us to death!"

The daimyo said, "You all would cause the destruction of another village to save yourselves...out of fear?"

One villagers eyes widened as he yelled, "If it's a village of murderous nin, without question!"

The daimyo's eyes widened as he said, "I can't believe what I'm hearing! Aren't we supposed to be the village that has forgotten wars?!"

One man stepped forward and said, "This is the real world! If you want to forget wars, be ready for the day when they force you to remember them!"

Another villager yelled, "He's right! The Sound is probably damning us right now and you would stand giving speeches while Yugakure falls!"

The daimyo turned to the mass and said, "Silence! In all my years as the leader of this village I never thought I'd hear such things..."

One person muttered, "This is hopeless... Maybe we would've been better off listening to Hidan after all…"

The daimyo finally snapped and said, "ENOUGH!"

After his outburst, there was a prolonged moment of silence from the crowd. The daimyo's assistant noted the heavy atmosphere then put a hand on his shoulder and said, "Maybe the best thing would be a vote..."

The daimyo quickly turned to her and said, "Don't tell me you support this as well?..."

The assistant sighed and said, "No, but we're running out of time and the people are restless..."

The daimyo looked at his wristwatch. 11:50 AM. He sighed and said, "We only have 10 minutes..."

His assistant said in a serious voice, "Yes..."

After a long pause, the daimyo finally resigned himself and said, "Fine...Take a vote."

* * *

As Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi arrived at the Valley of the End, they saw a small building on one of the cliffs overlooking the valley. It was mostly gray and had a huge satellite on top of it. It looked like it was designed to be moved from one place to another as needed. The advanced technology had obviously come from the Rain. It had that same sharp feel to it.

As Naruto's Kurama avatar disappeared, he looked towards the building and said, "I can sense him in there..."

Kakashi looked at his watch. 11:53 AM. He turned to Naruto and said, "You ready?..."

Naruto continued to look at the building and said, "I hope so."

As the three approached the door, it made a small hissing sound and automatically opened. Naruto looked inside and said under his breath, "Not ominous at all…"

As they stepped inside, they saw a large control station. It was the only thing inside the building. The rest was just empty space. The setup of the control station was similar to that of a computer, but magnified. There was a large keyboard below the apparatus and multiple wires running along the floor. In addition to that, there were two large screens, but both of them were off. In front of the station was a large chair, presumably for whoever was working at the moment. The chair wasn't facing them so they couldn't see if anyone was sitting on it. Naruto, however, could sense that Hikan was there.

The chair slowly rotated to face them, then Hikan opened his arms and said, "I almost thought you wouldn't make it."

Naruto scoffed, then sharply said, "Wouldn't miss it."

Hikan smiled and said, "A little attitude. I like that..."

Kakashi redirected the conversation and said in a stern voice, "What are you planning?"

Hikan replied, "Correction. I've already planned it. I only needed Naruto here so that he couldn't interfere...and so that he could be a witness to what's about to happen..."

Naruto wore a serious expression and said, "What did you do?"

Hikan looked at Naruto and noticed that he looked a lot more ready for their encounter than last time. He wore a small smirk and said, "You're much more composed than the last time you were here... Interesting. With you letting that bomb go off at the Stone, I would've thought that you wouldn't be mentally ready for this, but you've recovered pretty well..."

Naruto wore the same expression and said, "That's not answering my question."

Hikan noted Naruto's focus on the problem at hand and said with a smirk, "I can't even distract you anymore... Impressive..." He studied Naruto for a little longer then stood up and said, "Don't worry. I've just set up a little experiment to look into the human condition."

Naruto gave him a suspicious glance and said, "What does that mean?"

Hikan picked up a remote resting on the control station and used it to turn on the two large screens.

He looked at the screens and said, "Those two live video feeds are showing the Sound and the Hot Water. As you can see, I have a shadow clone in each of those villages."

Naruto asked, "You're sustaining two shadow clones in those villages from here?"

Hikan replied, "Don't sound so surprised. You did something similar in the war and with far more shadow clones. With my chakra reserves all I needed was practice and time. Fortunately, I've had a lot of both."

He looked towards the screen and said, "Those shadow clones are actually carrying out my experiment as we speak..."

Kakashi said, "Are you going to actually tell us what you did or not?"

Hikan said, "Of course, it wouldn't really make sense to call you here otherwise."

Hikan looked towards the screens and said, "I've informed both of those villages that they have a choice to make. At noon, those black spheres will activate taking a significant portion of their villages out. I've given them both a way out. They just have to have their leader speak to my shadow clone and tell him to spare their village..."

Naruto said, "What's the catch?..."

Hikan shrugged and said, "Well, if they do that, the other village will be destroyed."

Naruto started walking towards him and said, "You dirtbag."

Hikan raised a hand and said, "No, no, no... I think I'd prefer to keep you at a distance. Come any closer and I'll make my shadow clones activate the spheres."

Naruto said, "I doubt you can send mental commands to a shadow clone. And even if you could, I'm pretty sure you couldn't do it from here."

Hikan smiled and said, "Try me."

Naruto let out an annoyed grunt and stopped in his tracks. Hikan looked at him and said, "That's better..."

He lowered his hand and said, "I didn't think you'd be as focused as you are now, but after our last talk, I knew you'd figure out why I do what I do. If I would've made some plan involving you, you would've done everything in your power to prove me wrong. That's why I've taken it out your hands and mines. Now neither of us can do anything. It's up to those people you so fully put your trust in. That way we know that the result is accurate... No interference."

He sat back down on the chair in front of the control station and said, "While you guys were on your way here, I broadcasted what's going on to the known shinobi world, so now the shinobi world is also aware of what's happening...and they're watching. Those of them with modern technology anyway."

Kakashi thought to himself, _'Looks like Naruto was onto something after all… It's all about proving something…"_

Hikan relaxed and said, "I'm pretty confident that either the Sound or the Hot Water will prove me right. I've even admitted to all of my previous crimes...you know why?"

Naruto said, "Because with shadow clones of you in those villages you can't cover this up like the other times..."

Hikan smirked and said, "That and the fact that after today, the shinobi world will never be the same. If the most likely scenario occurs, and the Sound destroys a portion of the Hot Water, I'm pretty sure that there's gonna be a war, and if the Hot Water destroys a portion of the Sound, we _know_ there's gonna be a war. And we both know how fragile peace is... After today, my vision will be a reality..."

Naruto gave him a disgusted look and said, "You're sick."

Hikan rolled his eyes and said, "No, we've already established that I'm ahead of the curve, and you'll see that..."

He looked over to the time at the bottom of one of the screens. 11:58 AM. He turned to Naruto and said, "Right now, the pressure is gonna start mounting, and when the pressure is on, they'll show you who they really are... They'll show you the truth..."

* * *

In the Sound, everyone was waiting for Orochimaru to make a decision. Suigetsu, Jugo and Karin were trying to think of ideas, but the fact that this wasn't only about the Sound made it near impossible to save themselves without playing Hikan's game.

After a few more moments of thought, Suigetsu turned to Orochimaru and said, "Any ideas..."

Orochimaru shook his head and said, "Not any that won't make us pawns..." He looked over at the time. 11:58 AM. He looked down and said, "I'm surprised that our sphere hasn't been activated by now."

Suigetsu said, "Well the Hot Water does claim to be a peaceful village..."

Orochimaru looked up at the shadow clone and said, "Still...it's very interesting..."

...

As the daimyo's assistant brought him the vote results, the daimyo let out a resigned sigh. The overwhelming majority vote was for them to save their own village.

After sitting with a contemplative frown for a few seconds, he looked up to the shadow clone who was now looking down at him and waiting for an answer.

...

Jugo looked at a nearby clock. 11:59 AM. He turned to Orochimaru and said, "We're out of time." Karin gave Orochimaru a worried look and said, "What are we gonna do?..."

The people of the Sound were also waiting for Orochimaru's answer.

After a long pause, Orochimaru crossed his arms and said, "I'd rather have to deal with that sphere going off than play his game... So we just won't play..."

...

The daimyo looked at the paper for a few more seconds then stood up. He let it fall to the ground then raised his hand to his hat and abruptly pulled it off. He threw it to the ground then looked towards the crowd and said, "I'm resigning as daimyo..." As everyone in the crowd started murmuring, he said, "I'm pretty sure that the shadow clone will listen to you if you wear that. One of you can take that and inform the clone of the villages decision. I, however, will not stain my conscience..."

As he started walking away, an eerie silence fell over the formerly boisterous crowd.

After a long pause, one villager finally stood up and said, "So no one wants to get their hands dirty..." He stepped forward and said, "Fine. I'll do it..."

As he picked up the hat, the full weight of what he was about to do hit him. He looked up to the shadow clone and saw that it was now looking down at him intently and waiting to see what he would do.

The man stood there motionless as he thought about what he was about to do. After a short pause, he lifted the hat to his head and stepped forward. Before he could do anything else, an elderly man slowly stood up and said, "We're supposed to be the most peaceful village in the shinobi world...and look at us. We're about to doom another village to save ourselves." He looked around at everyone present and said, "If we're still here, then those _murderous nin_ you all were speaking of haven't doomed us." He looked down and said, "I think that if we examine ourselves right now, we'll find that we are the murderous nin..."

There was a tangible silence as the weight of the man's words took over the atmosphere.

After a while, the man who had stepped forward slowly took off the hat. After staring at it for a few seconds, he let it drop to the floor, then walked back into the crowd with a face full of shame. As the man walked back into the crowd, many of the people in the crowd also dropped their heads.

The daimyo looked around and saw that no one else was stepping forward. The hat he had so abruptly ripped off was still on the floor. He looked to his assistant and whispered, "If we somehow survive this, maybe I'll still be the daimyo after all..."

...

As the people of the Sound waited in tense anticipation, Orochimaru turned to check the time. 12:01 PM.

As Orochimaru wore a contemplative expression, Suigetsu said, "Shouldn't we be in real trouble right now?..."

Orochimaru paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "No one played his game..."

...

In the Hot Water, the daimyo noticed that a significant amount of time had passed, then looked at his wristwatch again. 12:01 PM.

He looked at his assistant and said, "Nothing has happened..." His assitant looked towards the shadow clone and said in a confused voice, "It's not doing anything..."

As the people in the crowd realized it was now past noon, they started to murmur amongst themselves as well.

* * *

Hikan looked over at the two screens with a wide smile on his face. After a significant amount of time had passed, his smile faded slightly as he looked at the screens.

On one screen, Orochimaru stood with his arms crossed in staunch defiance. On the other, the people of the Hot Water stood contemplative and confused.

As he realized that neither village had saved themselves, he contemplatively looked at the bottom of the screen to check the time. 12:01 PM.

A small frown crept up to his face as he looked back up to the screens. His face took on an expression of genuine confusion, then he whispered under his breath, "That's not possible..."

As Hikan stood perplexed, Naruto looked at him and said, "What's the matter?... Disappointed that deep down everyone isn't as sick and twisted as you?" Naruto slowly shook his head and said, "You're alone."

Hikan paused for a second, then slammed his fist on the desk in a fit of rage. He turned to Naruto and said, "Can't count on anyone nowadays." He wore an angered expression and said, "Fine. I'll do it myself..."

Naruto shrugged and said, "Go ahead."

Hikan turned to him with a look of confusion and said, "What?..."

Naruto repeated himself without changing his tone. "Go ahead." He didn't really mean it, but he needed to try to get Hikan closer so he could try to make him lose his focus. Hopefully he'd also lose his connection to his shadow clones.

Hikan wore an angered expression and said, "All I have to do is send the mental command and those two spheres will activate killing a good amount of the people in both of those villages. Maybe you should be a little more concerned."

Naruto said, "Yes, some people will die, but they'll die with honor...and they'll die having proved you wrong..."

Hikan half-yelled, "You've proven nothing!"

Naruto maintained his composure then shrugged and said, "You're right. I haven't. I thought that when I came here I'd have to find some way to prove you wrong, but you've done that all by yourself. This shinobi world just showed you that it's still got a whole lot of people who are willing to believe in something more than self-preservation."

Hikan started angrily walking towards Naruto and said, "You think that just because they didn't turn on each other now, they won't later? They'll prove me right...after I break their spirits completely..."

Naruto crossed his arms and said, "You're not gonna be doing anything else to hurt anyone."

Hikan scoffed and said, "Is that supposed to imply that you're gonna kill me? Because, let's not kid ourselves, it's not really your style."

Naruto shook his head and said, "I won't have to kill you. Didn't you say that you admitted to all of your crimes while broadcasting to the whole shinobi world? Your cockiness is gonna be your undoing. I'm sure the Shinobi Union is already thinking of ways to deal with you. All we have to do is bring you in, and I guarantee that won't be a problem..."

Hikan wore an angered expression then stepped towards Naruto so that they were face to face. He balled up his fists and said, "It might be more of a problem than you-"

Before Hikan could finish his sentence, Naruto aimed straight for his nose and gave him the hardest headbutt possible.

As Hikan fell to the ground, he grabbed his nose and let out a yell of pain. Naruto quickly looked over to the two screens and said, "Come on..." A second later, the two shadow clones disappeared in a puff of smoke. He smirked and said, "It worked..."

Kakashi turned to Naruto and said, "Well played."

Naruto gave a small nod and then turned back to focus on Hikan.

As Hikan knelt down on the ground, he said, "You caught me off guard...you sly dog..." He looked over to the screens and said, "And you made me lose the shadow clones..."

As he rose to his feet, he wiped the blood from his nose and said, "So we're fighting dirty are we..."

Naruto grew serious and said, "You're going down."

Hikan replied, "We'll see..."

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	41. Endgame - Part 2

Ch. 42

Hikan quickly stretched out his arms and yelled, "Universal Pull!"

All at once, the control station started caving in on itself. The area between them and Hikan completely caved in separating them. Hikan gave a small smirk then ran out of a back door.

Naruto said, "He's trying to escape!" He activated his SPSM then quickly formed a Kurama avatar and blew the building apart. He looked towards the cliff and saw Hikan running towards the forest. Naruto threw a tagged kunai at him then teleported to it and punched Hikan square in the face.

Hikan staggered backwards onto the ground then tried to regain his footing. Before he had time to recover, Naruto was already on top of him. The two started to engage in intense hand-to-hand combat. Hikan would block the occasional blow here and there, but he was fighting an uphill battle. Naruto completely outclassed him in terms of power, speed and skill. He noticed that he was quickly losing the fight and thought to himself, _'I can't beat him hand-to-hand.' _

In the middle of the fight, he stretched out his hand and used his Rinnegan to push them apart. He flew towards the cliff while Naruto flew towards the forest. Hikan found his footing then decided to try to catch his breath. Before he could even do that, he looked to the side and heard, "CCCCHHHHAAAAA!"

He found himself on the receiving end of one of Sakura's brute force punches. The punch sent him flying across the top of the valley and left him with a broken jaw. As he rolled across the terrain, he tried to regain his footing, but before he could, he saw Kakashi run up with a fist of lightning. "CHIDORI!"

He tried to block it, but it ended up seriously injuring his left arm instead. As he let out an annoyed grunt, he saw a yellow flash flying towards him. He had enough. He pushed out his hands and said, "ALMIGHTY PUSH!"

The three nin were blasted back about 50 feet. Hikan had meant to blast them back a lot further. He let out an annoyed grunt then looked at his arm and said, "I'm running out of chakra..."

He looked up and saw that the three nin had already recovered and were now headed straight for him. He knew that trying to actually fight them was a bad idea, especially with him running out of chakra. What he needed to do was escape. Unfortunately for him, they had no intention of letting him get away.

As he prepared for combat, he saw Naruto start forming a Rasenshuriken. Hikan grunted and said under his breath, "I am not about to deal with that." He stretched out his right arm towards Sakura and said, "This should keep them busy..."

He made a grasping motion then Sakura stopped dead in her tracks. Suddenly all of the rocks in the area started flying towards her. She tried to destroy what she could, but there was too much stuff coming from too many directions. On top of that, the debris from the broken building was also flying towards her. As a sharp piece of debris jammed into her leg, she let out a yell of pain. Naruto turned to Kakashi and yelled, "Make him drop his hand!" He stopped making the Rasenshuriken then flew over to Sakura and covered both of them in orange chakra. He looked at her with a worried look and said, "You're gonna be ok..." She painfully nodded and decided to try to remove the piece of debris that had gone through her leg.

Kakashi tried to use his kamui to rip off Hikan's arm, but Hikan made sure to keep moving. Kakashi decided to close the gap so that he could finally make Hikan drop the arm that was affecting Sakura. As soon as he got close, Hikan switched from defensive to offensive in an attempt to catch Kakashi off guard. He quickly let his hand drop, then landed a blow directly to Kakashi's core. Kakashi found himself floating away from his body which had now fallen to the ground. He looked at his astral form with a confused look then looked down to his body. As he realized what had happened, he said, "So he can do this to other people too..."

Hikan looked at Kakashi's body then said, "I gotta get outta here..."

He turned his hands towards the ground, then looked towards the forest and said, "Almighty Push!" He immediately flew off the ground and started flying towards the forest.

Naruto noticed that Sakura was no longer pulling things towards her so he looked over to Kakashi. He saw his lifeless body and noticed that he could sense Kakashi the same way he had been able to sense Hikan in his astral form. He looked at Kakashi's body and said, "What the hell?..."

As he started to make sense of Hikan's abilities, Sakura nodded towards Hikan and said in a pained voice, "He's getting away."

Naruto looked towards the forest and saw that Hikan was now flying over it. He squinted and said, "Not on my watch..."

While Hikan was flying towards the forest, Naruto suddenly appeared at his side and kicked him so hard that he flew back down onto the cliff of the valley.

Hikan let out a loud cough as he lay in the pile of rubble. He let his eyes open then let out a weary sigh. Not only was he almost out of chakra, his face was worn, his jaw was broken, his left arm was close to being out of commision, and he was pretty sure that he now had a series of broken ribs.

Hikan groaned and thought to himself, _'There was no marked kunai…'_ He slowly rose to his feet, then looked all around on his body. He picked up a reflective piece of metal from the debris of the building and looked at his neck area. There it was. A formula...undoubtedly from the Flying Thunder God Technique. Naruto must've marked him while they were fighting hand-to-hand. He looked up then let out a small sigh and silently said, "No chance I'm getting away now..."

He looked around and saw that Kakashi was a considerable distance away and was just now starting to wake up. He looked to his other side and saw that Sakura was also a considerable distance away tending to her leg. He wore a small smirk and said, "If I can't get away, then I'll just have to cause as much damage as possible..." He reached into his pouch and grabbed a kunai. He kept it hidden, then, after a short pause, sprang to his feet and started running towards Sakura.

Naruto was flying over the forest and said, "Oh no you don't." and immediately teleported to his side. Hikan waited until Naruto had teleported to his side, then immediately threw the kunai at Sakura. He grabbed Naruto by the neck and said, "I've got no chance at getting away, but I can still hurt you..." He activated his Rinnegan then stretched out his hand to stop Sakura from avoiding the kunai.

Naruto elbowed Hikan in the face then broke free of his grasp. As Naruto started flying towards Sakura, Hikan stretched out the hand that Naruto had freed himself from and said, "Univers-" He let out a yell of pain as blood started forming under his Rinnegan.

He looked up and let out one last determined yell. "UNIVERSAL PULL!"

As blood started flowing out of Hikan's Rinnegan, Naruto flew back into his hand. Hikan smiled through bloodied teeth and said, "I may not have won how I wanted to, but I still win..." Naruto watched in horror as the kunai flew straight towards Sakura's chest.

Just then, the two heard a loud shout, "KAMUI!"

Hikan watched as a distorted space-time started forming around the arm he had been using to keep Sakura in place. He let out a yell of pain as his arm was cut off from the elbow down. Just before the kunai reached Sakura, she noticed she could move and was able to move a little to the side before it struck her.

Naruto yelled out, "Sakura!"

After Hikan saw that the kunai had struck her, he laid back on the ground and started laughing. Naruto turned to him and punched his head into the ground so hard that it knocked him out cold.

Naruto flew over to Sakura and pulled out the kunai. As Kakashi joined him, he placed his hand over where the kunai had stabbed her and said, "Come on..." He was trying to use his Six Paths powers to heal her, but he had no idea what he was doing or if it would work.

After she hadn't responded for a little, he said in a more desperate voice, "Come on..."

Naruto was giving it everything he had, but there was still no response. He kept focusing on trying to heal the wound and said in a semi-irate voice, "Come on, Sakura, I'm not losing you!..."

Kakashi could do nothing but watch. He hoped that everything would be ok, but he was starting to prepare for the worst, just in case.

After a few more moments of tense anticipation, the two let out a collective sigh of relief as Sakura started coughing up a little bit of blood. Naruto looked at her and said, "Sakura..." She opened her eyes slightly and started trying to sit up. Naruto looked at her and said, "Don't move..."

She was still out of it so she looked around to get ahold of her surroundings. She looked up and saw that Naruto was kneeling over her with his hands over her chest as he was trying to heal her. She examined him and Kakashi and noticed that they looked beyond relieved. She looked at them and softly said, "How long was I out?..."

Naruto remained serious while Kakashi answered, "Too long..."

She looked at the wound and weakly said, "I tried to move to the side, but it still felt like the kunai hit my heart... How am I still alive?..."

Naruto softly said, "I just tried to use Six Paths power to fix whatever felt wrong..."

She studied Naruto for a second and realized that he looked seriously shaken. His expression was solemn and he was breathing a little harder than he usually did. Despite how things were between them, she could tell he still really cared about her. His reaction to her near-death experience was a testament to that. After a short pause, she let out a small smile and said, "I'm fine now…"

Naruto remained silent as he continued to tend to her wound. She looked at him and noticed that her words had no effect. His face hadn't changed at all and he was still very obviously unnerved. After examining him, she decided that it would be best to just leave him alone for a bit.

...

As everything started to calm down, Kakashi walked over to Hikan and started placing a seal he had been carrying over his eyes.

After Naruto had been healing Sakura for a while, she slowly sat up said, "I can take care of the rest..."

Naruto kept his gaze on the wound to avoid looking at her and firmly said, "No."

Her body was still in shock so she was breathing a little faster than usual; however, she wore a pained smile and managed to say, "So you're a better medic-nin than me?..."

He continued to look at the wound and said, "Whatever I'm doing is working..."

She reached up and lifted his face so that he would look at her. She said in a soft voice, "I'll be fine."

He looked at her for a little then looked at her leg and said, "What about your leg?..."

She let out a small, pained smile and said, "I can take care of that too..."

He paused for a moment as he thought about it. After a while, he finally sat down next to her and said, "Fine, but I'm gonna stay here to make sure you can actually take care of yourself..."

She forced herself to sit up straight so she could tend to her wounds, then let out a pained smile and softly asked, "All that for a comrade?..."

Naruto remained silent as he continued to look out over the valley. He had heard her, but he wasn't sure what to say, so he just sat there and continued to look out into the valley.

Sakura studied his face and noticed that he had once again put up his guard. She followed his gaze and noticed that he was looking at the Madara statue. Normally, she would just drop the subject, but maybe it was time to finally settle this thing between them.

After a short pause, she let out a sad smile and said, "I didn't want things to be like this between us..."

Naruto continued to look out over the valley with a noticeable sadness. After a moment of silence, he wore a sad smile and said, "Me neither..."

Sakura looked at those deep blue eyes of his and saw that same pain she had seen before. She wanted to look away so badly, to just forget that she had caused him such pain, but she knew she had to face him.

She looked at his pain-ridden eyes and said in a soft voice, "I saw you both hanging over that cliff. While I ran up that statue, I saw the rock starting to crack and I knew I'd have to make a choice..."

She looked towards the Madara statue and said in a solemn voice, "I was scared..."

After she said that, Naruto finally stopped looking into the valley and slowly turned to face her.

She looked at him with slightly watery eyes and said, "I don't know why, but for some reason, I just went back to being that scared girl I was so long ago... As soon as I grabbed Sasuke, I knew I'd made a horrible mistake..."

She paused for a second, then said, "As you fell off of that cliff, I still remember that look in your eyes...and it haunts me to this day..."

As Naruto thought back to that moment, a small tear started forming under his eye. He had tried with everything he had to forget that day, but now he had to face it. He had to remember that feeling that he had tried so hard to escape from. That feeling of raw pain.

Sakura felt a wave of guilt hit her as she saw the tear form in his eyes. The pain that he had felt was no longer subdued. He didn't have a cold demeanor to hide it or a joyful one to mask it. She looked into his deep blue eyes and saw a pain she'd only seen on the day she betrayed him. It just looked like he was wearing his heart on his sleeve...and it had been crushed. She couldn't bear to look at him any longer so she looked down and softly said, "I did a terrible thing to you that day...and I've spent every night since then wishing I could take it back. Wishing that I could somehow have the chance to live that day again..."

After a short pause, she looked at him and said, "I know I broke your heart that day...and I'm very sorry for that..."

After a moment of silence, Naruto let out a small smile and said, "I guess that's the price of having a heart, it can get broken..."

She thought about it for a moment, then wore a sad smile and softly said, "Yeah...I guess it is."

After a short pause, she turned to him and said, "Naruto, I'm not asking you to forgive me..." She looked into the valley as a tear ran down her face, then said, "I just want you to understand..."

As Naruto sat there with tears in his eyes, he said in a soft voice, "I've had to make some tough choices too..."

Sakura thought about recent events then looked down and said, "Yeah, I guess you have..."

After another moment of silence, she turned to him and said in a soft voice, "I wish things weren't like this..." She turned and looked in the direction of Konoha and said, "...but the truth is, the only thing connecting us now is Konoha..."

As a tear ran down her face, she wore a sad smile and said, "And I can live with that... If I get to see that wide smile you have because we're comrades, or catch sight of that blonde hair every now and then..." She paused then let out a small smile and said, "Or maybe even catch a glimpse of those whiskers of yours...I'll be ok."

She scooted closer to him so that they were only inches from each other, then said in a soft voice, "I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry...for everything..."

She looked into his eyes for a few more seconds, then said in a silent whisper, "I _**needed**_ you to know that..."

After she said that, there was a moment of silence between the two. Sakura was sitting just inches from him, but she felt like she was miles away. The two were so different now. She didn't know much about what he was like now and he didn't know much about her either. It felt like they were just two nin connected by Konoha.

She gave Naruto a sad smile, then started to get ready to tend to her wounds. It felt like the easiest way to get rid of the awkward atmosphere.

As she turned away, she felt an arm wrap around her back and pull her closer. As she looked up, she saw those whiskers she had grown so accustomed to. Naruto now had his head resting against hers while her head was resting around the top of his chest. After a few seconds, Naruto looked down to her with a small smile and said, "I forgive you, Sakura-chan."

As she realized what he was saying, she looked away as she started fighting tears. She didn't even feel like she could look at him. She knew she didn't deserve his forgiveness, but he was giving it anyway. She let her head rest on his shoulder as a tear started running down her cheek. Naruto watched her affectionately then lifted her head and wiped away the tear. He let out a sad smile and said, "You don't need to cry anymore Sakura-chan...we're ok now."

She let out a tear-filled chuckle then softly said, "I'm crying because I'm happy. I don't deserve this...You..." Naruto paused for a moment then let out a small smile and said, "If you deserve it, it's not really forgiveness is it?..."

She let out a small sniffle then said, "I guess not..."

After a few more seconds, all of the tears she had been holding back finally bubbled to the surface. She burst into tears then buried her head into his chest and whispered, "I missed you so much..._so much..._.."

Naruto wore a small smile and said, "Me too..."

After a short pause, he looked down at her then said, "I missed that pink hair..." After he said that, Sakura let out a small smile. He continued in a softer voice and said, "Those green eyes..." to which Sakura wore a larger smile. He paused for a second, then let out a small chuckle and said, "That huge forehead..."

Sakura let out another tear-filled chuckle as she kept her head buried between his chest and shoulder. She gave him a small nudge and said, "Baka..." (Idiot)

Naruto smiled and said, "Maybe...but I'm your baka..."

Sakura smiled as she dug her head into his chest and said, "You're my baka..."

Kakashi smiled then dropped his headband back down over his Sharingan and said, "Finally..."

The two had been sitting next to each other for a little when Naruto said, "I think I completely failed to do my job..."

Sakura let out a small sniffle then looked at him inquisitively and said, "What job?"

Naruto looked at her leg then started laughing and said, "You still haven't healed yourself..."

She looked at her leg then started giggling and said, "I didn't even notice..." She was so happy that the two of them were finally back on good terms that she forgot why he'd originally sat down by her.

After the two had finished laughing, she placed her hands over the wound and started healing it. Her chest was already in much better shape than earlier. Whatever Naruto did had considerably sped up the healing process.

After she had been healing herself for a few minutes, Naruto helped her to her feet. As she rose to her feet, Naruto noticed that she had a very noticeable limp. He looked at her with a little concern and said, "Are you gonna be ok to walk?..."

She wore a pained smile and said, "Yeah, I'll be fine..."

Naruto paused for a second then smiled and stepped in front of her. He cast her one of his trademark grins and said, "Why don't we try this." as he lifted her onto his back.

Sakura's cheeks turned a light pink as she let out a small giggle at his brazen attitude. It was Naruto alright. She rested her head on his shoulder and said, "I probably shouldn't walk on it anyway..."

Kakashi let out a small smile as he looked at the two, then said, "Let's not forget him..." as he looked down to Hikan.

Naruto looked at him and said, "Right..." After a short pause, he looked over his back to Sakura then back to Kakashi and said, "My back is taken..."

Kakashi dropped his eyes and said, "No."

Naruto looked back to Sakura then the two of them started giggling. Naruto turned back to Kakashi and said, "I'm just kidding Sensei...I got him." He walked over to them and used a chakra arm to grab hold of Hikan, then created a Kurama avatar and started taking them back to Konoha.

* * *

As the group arrived at Konoha's main gate, Naruto's Kurama avatar slowly started to disappear. Tsunade, Sasuke, Sai, Konohamaru and the other members of the Konoha 11 were standing there waiting for them to return.

As the Kurama avatar fully disappeared, Kakashi stepped onto solid ground, followed by Naruto who was still carrying Sakura. Naruto used the chakra arm to hold an unconscious Hikan in front of Tsunade. He let out a content smirk and said, "We got him."

Tsunade wore a satisfied smile and said, "Good."

After examining Hikan for a moment, she looked at Naruto then cast him and Sakura an inquisitive glance as she raised an eyebrow.

Naruto sheepishly said, "Sakura-chan was injured...She couldn't really walk so I just carried her. Don't worry, she'll be fine..." Tsunade looked at Sakura who was now carefully avoiding her gaze. She smirked and said, "I'm sure she will..." She examined Sakura and noticed the healing wound just below her chest. It had been patched up, but she needed more proper care. She looked at her and said, "You'll definitely have to get that taken care of..." She turned to Naruto and said, "Since you've brought her this far, I assume you can also bring her to the hospital..."

Naruto smiled and said, "No sweat."

Tsunade looked at Hikan and said, "And when you're done, bring him to the police HQ that wasn't destroyed. We'll hold him there until the Shinobi Union figures out what to do with him."

Naruto nodded and said, "Got it."

Sasuke walked up to him and said, "Looks like you were right after all." He nodded towards Hikan and said, "We saw his broadcast."

Naruto smiled and said, "So you saw his plan fail miserably..."

Sasuke smirked and said, "Every second of it..."

After a moment had passed, Sasuke looked at Sakura as she was on Naruto's back. She was avoiding looking at him too. He looked back at Naruto and gave a small eye squint. Naruto dropped his eyes and said, "Shut up, Teme..."

Sasuke wore a small smirk then shrugged and said, "I didn't say anything..." as he turned around.

Naruto turned around and silently said, "He doesn't even have to say anything to get on my nerves..." Sakura smiled and said, "That's why he's Sasuke." Naruto thought about it for a second then shrugged and said, "I guess you're right..." He decided to at least greet everyone else present before going to the hospital and Konoha P.D.

As Naruto started talking to everyone else, they all made crafty remarks about how close him and Sakura were. Everyone except for Sai, who was a lot more direct. It was all in good fun though.

As Sasuke watched them he stepped over to Kakashi and Tsunade then said, "Something Orochimaru used to say comes to mind..."

Kakashi turned to him and said, "What was it?"

Sasuke said, "It's human nature not to realize the true value of something-"

Tsunade smirked and said, "-unless they lose it..."

Sasuke nodded and said, "Yeah...I think that's true for both of them..."

Kakashi looked at Naruto and everyone else then said, "I think that's one of the few places where I'd agree with him..."

* * *

_Author's Note_

PLEASE feel free to leave reviews on this story. I do enjoy reading reviews and if I see good ideas as to where the story can go, I do listen to them. Reviews are not only very encouraging but they also help me get better. Be sure to drop a follow and a favorite because I will be updating this story consistently. This story will be completed. Believe it!


	42. The End and the Beginning

Ch. 43

As Naruto set Sakura down onto the hospital bed, Tsunade said, "Nice and slow..."

Sakura let out a pained grunt then finally laid back onto the bed. She looked at Naruto shyly and said, "Thanks..."

Naruto gave a small smile then nodded and said, "Anytime..." He looked at Hikan and said, "I'll be back. I've just gotta take dirtbag here to Konoha P.D."

Sakura let out a small chuckle then nodded and said, "See you..."

Naruto gave a small smile and said, "See ya..."

After Naruto walked out, Tsunade walked over to Sakura and started inspecting her wounds. As Tsunade examined her, she noticed minor wounds all over her body. She wore a slightly confused expression and asked, "What exactly happened to you?..."

Sakura looked over her body and softly said, "I basically got turned into the center of gravity for a bit..."

As Tsunade took in the information, the injuries Sakura had started to make sense. She knew all about the unique abilities of the Rinnegan. To be honest, she was glad that more damage hadn't been done. She looked at some of the minor wounds and said, "Good thing it wasn't worse..." Sakura examined the wounds and slowly nodded in agreement.

After treating the minor wounds, Tsunade started to focus on treating the main problem areas; her chest and her leg. Tsunade tried to assess the damage to her chest and said, "What exactly happened there?"

Sakura looked down towards the wound and said, "It was a kunai...meant to kill..."

Tsunade inspected it by moving a bit closer and said, "Looks like it was pretty bad..."

She looked away and softly said, "Not all bad..." as she let out a small smile.

Tsunade watched her then gave a small smile as she examined the wound a little closer. After examining it for a while, she asked, "How did you heal this?... It doesn't look that much like medical ninjutsu..."

Sakura replied, "It was Naruto. He said that he just tried to use his Six Paths power to fix whatever felt wrong..."

Tsunade gave a small eye squint as she continued to examine the wound. After a while, she stood up straight and said, "Whatever he did worked...really well..." She raised an eyebrow and said, "Maybe I'll take him out of the ANBU and make him a medic-nin..."

Sakura smiled and said, "Good luck with that..."

Tsunade let out a small chuckle as she took one final look at the wound. She put her hand on her chin and said, "It looks like it's mostly healed already so let's just bandage it properly and let your body do the rest of the work."

Sakura nodded and said, "Ok."

After bandaging up her chest, Tsunade turned to the wound on her leg. It was in slightly worse shape, but it had already started healing pretty well. She looked at it for a while longer then said, "I'll just treat that and get you on some antibiotics."

Sakura nodded then asked, "How long do you think I'm gonna be in here?..."

Tsunade thought to herself for a second, then said, "You should be out by tomorrow morning..." as she walked out of the room.

Sakura thought about it, then silently said, "Sounds about right..."

...

Sakura hadn't been sitting for a minute when Naruto burst back into the room with a wide smile and said, "I'm back!"

Sakura was shocked to say the least. Naruto was fast but she didn't expect him to be back within a few minutes. She looked at him wide eyed and said, "You already dropped him off?..."

Naruto wore a cheeky grin and rubbed under his nose as he said, "Nah... Sasuke agreed to do me a solid and take him for me."

As Sakura registered what he said, she let out an understanding, "Ohhh." It made a lot more sense why he was back so quick now. As she finally wrapped her head around things, she looked up to see that Naruto was already making himself comfortable by sitting down in the chair next to her bed.

As he sat down next to her, she watched him with a sense of longing. The two had been distant for so long that just having him close by as a friend felt exhilarating.

Naruto was fidgeting with the chair when he noticed Sakura staring at him. He turned to her and asked, "What's wrong?"

After a short pause, Sakura reached out and grabbed his hand then said, "I'm glad you're here...as a friend."

Naruto thought about it for a second, then let out one of his wide grins and said, "Me too Sakura-chan..."

As the day passed on, the two sat there and talked about random things. They had a lot of catching up to do so there was never a dull moment. It only added to the jovial atmosphere when some of Sakura's friends came to visit. They all had responsibilities around the village, but they all dropped in whenever they were available. Since Naruto had just come from a mission and Hikan had been captured, he was free for the rest of the day. Sasuke and Kakashi were free as well, but they just decided to give the two some space. After being distant for so long, the two needed some time alone. Except for a few visitors here and there, the two basically spent the whole day together talking and making up for lost time. Naruto also made sure to make himself useful by doing small things like getting her food if she was hungry.

As day transitioned into night, Sakura thought she'd be out of energy, but somehow Naruto had kept her energized throughout the day. He had a natural energy that just rubbed off on her. It helped keep her spirits up even though she was injured and had been through such a tiring day. At one point, she had even almost forgotten she was in the hospital. The two had shared everything from newfound interests to personal stories from the past few years.

* * *

Naruto had just stepped out to get Sakura a glass of water. She let out a small sigh then turned to the clock by her head. 9:53 PM. It was getting late. She was considering letting Naruto go home, especially since he had been there with her all day. He probably needed to shower and clean up. She really wanted him to stay, especially since he was such great company, but she didn't want him to feel pressured to. He'd done more than enough. As he stepped back into the room, she turned to him and softly said, "You don't have to stay..."

Naruto set the glass of water down then gave a small smile and said, "I know I don't, but I want to."

She paused for a second, then gave a small smile and said, "You probably need to shower and clean up... I'll still be here tomorrow." She nudged him on the shoulder and said, "You can be here when I check out."

Naruto said, "I'll be fine..." as he sniffed under his armpit. After realizing he smelled musky, he gave a small eye squint and said, "On second thought..."

Sakura chuckled to herself and said, "Told you so..."

Naruto wore a sheepish smile as he rubbed the back of his head. Sakura tilted her head and said, "Go home, Naruto... Wash up and get some rest."

Naruto thought about it for a second, then it looked like a light bulb went off in his head. He quickly turned to her and said, "I have a better idea... Be right back."

Sakura watched him curiously as he quickly exited the room looking for something.

...

After around half an hour had passed, she saw him enter the doorway once again. Her mouth dropped a little as she noticed he was now dressed in hospital garb similar to hers.

He let out a wide grin and said, "I talked to Shizune. She gave me some hospital clothes to sleep in."

After realizing what he had went to go do, she closed her mouth and muttered, "Baka..."

After a short pause, she almost accusingly asked, "Did you shower too?" He walked into the room and said, "Of course!"

As he walked over to the chair, she just watched him with a glint of admiration. His willingness to go above and beyond wasn't for show, it was just who he was. If it was for a friend, he'd do anything to make sure he was there for them. As he sat down, she let out a small smile then ruffled his hair and softly said, "Baka..."

He let out a small smile as he relaxed back into the chair. She examined him then wore a small smile and said, "Are you really gonna sleep here?..."

Naruto closed his eyes and softly said, "Believe it."

She wore a small smile after hearing his usual catchphrase then said, "You're gonna wake up with your neck hurting if you sleep like that..."

Naruto opened his eyes again, then shrugged and said, "I'll be fine..."

After thinking about it for a few seconds, she laid back then turned to the side to hide a small blush as she said, "If you're gonna stay at least be comfortable..." and scooted over on the bed to make room for him.

He let out a wide grin then said, "I thought you'd never ask!" as he quickly jumped onto the bed. She let out a small snort as she realized that he had been waiting to join her. She hit him upside the head with one of her two pillows as she handed it to him then shook her head then said, "Good night, Naruto."

Naruto replied in his usual enthusiastic voice, "Night, Sakura-chan."

* * *

The next day, Sakura woke up with groggy eyes as she started looking around to try to make sense of her surroundings. She looked to her left and saw that the spot where Naruto was lying down was empty. She sat up a little more upright and thought to herself, _'Where is he?'_

After a few seconds, she finally sat up straight and let out a small yawn. As she sat there wondering where he was, she saw his head peek into the room. He examined her for a second, then said, "Morning, Sakura-chan." She wore a small smile and said, "Morning..." After she replied, he turned and looked behind him then said, "She's awake now." Sakura wore a semi-confused expression as Naruto walked into the room followed by Tsunade, Kakashi, and Sasuke.

After they had all exchanged greetings, she looked at them and said, "What's going on?"

Tsunade let out a small sigh and said, "You know how you're getting out today, right?..."

Sakura slowly nodded and said, "Yeah..."

Kakashi looked at her and said, "Someone else is too..."

Sakura thought about it for a second, but couldn't really get a bead on who they were talking about. She looked at them and said, "Who?..."

Naruto dropped his head then said, "The man we all know and hate..."

Sakura realized they were talking about Hikan then asked, "He was in the hospital?..."

Tsunade replied, "When Sasuke brought him to Konoha P.D. he was in very bad shape. We had to bring him here. He lost a lot of blood from that arm that's gone, he's got a lot of broken bones, and his chakra levels were dangerously low."

Sakura thought about it for a second then said, "Oh..."

Tsunade interrupted her thought process and said, "In any case, we're here because Amegakure has agreed to join the Shinobi Union if they're granted full custody of Hikan to deal with him on their terms..."

Sakura's eyes widened as she said, "What?!"

Tsunade gave a small shrug and said, "The Union has agreed to give him into their custody if he has both eyes removed; however, Amegakure claims that the eyes are their rights, so even though his eyes will be removed, they're keeping them."

Sakura turned to Tsunade and said, "So he's gonna be blind now..."

Tsunade snorted and said, "And locked up. After openly admitting to being a mass murderer, he's lucky that's all that's happening to him."

As Sakura sat there in shock, Tsunade said, "We're turning him over to Amegakure around half an hour from now at the Hokage Monument. Right now, they're being led by Tashisu, so we'll be turning Hikan over to him."

Naruto scoffed and said, "I know that guy's crooked..."

Kakashi turned to him and said, "Well if Hikan escapes and it's suspected that anyone from the Rain's leadership was involved, they'll be removed from the Union immediately."

Naruto grumbled a little and said, "I guess..."

Kakashi turned to Sakura and said, "We're talking to you because we should be present as members of the team that took him down."

Sakura said, "Oh..." Now it made sense why they were having this impromptu meeting. She looked at Tsunade and said, "So I'm getting out sooner than I thought?..."

Tsunade said, "Yes." She looked at her watch and said, "As a matter of fact, you should probably start getting ready to leave now..."

After a short pause, Sakura sighed then said, "Ok."

Everyone else stepped out of the room as she got up from the bed and got ready to change into her regular clothes. As she started walking towards the bathroom, she noticed that she wasn't limping as much as she was yesterday. It was still noticeable though.

* * *

Tsunade walked out of the hospital first, followed by Kakashi and Sasuke, then Naruto and Sakura. Sakura had one arm around Naruto's back as she leaned on him for support. Her leg had healed to the point that she didn't really need the support, but Naruto had offered to help her and she wasn't going to turn him down.

As they stepped out, they saw that Hikan was standing a few feet away accompanied by Sai. Sai was holding him by his right arm which had been sealed. Naruto examined him and saw just how extensive his injuries were. He looked at him for a bit longer then softly said, "Jeez..."

Tsunade looked at him and said, "Yeah. He was really messed up."

Naruto looked at him for a bit longer then said, "Not surprised... He put up a real fight..."

The group walked over to him and Sai, then Tsunade said, "Let's get moving..."

* * *

Hikan had multiple seals wrapping his right arm and securing it behind his back. His left arm was gone from the elbow down, so they had performed some healing on it. They placed a simple seal on it and used another seal to secure it to his left side. There was also a seal over his eyes that prevented him from seeing or using any of his eye's abilities. However, he could still sense who was around due to his sensory abilities.

After the group had walked a considerable distance, he turned to Naruto and said in a hoarse voice, "Now that I'm gonna be locked up, are you satisfied?..."

Naruto snorted and said, "Seeing you fail miserably was satisfying enough..."

Hikan continued to face forward and said, "I'll be back. Trust me..."

Naruto replied, "We'll see..."

As they continued to walk, Hikan noticed that he could sense a chakra similar to Sakura's. The person in question was very close to Naruto and was probably leaning on him for support. It made sense with that wound she had on her leg.

After a short pause, he turned towards Sakura and said, "Looks like I didn't win after all..."

She gave him a disgusted look and said, "No, you didn't."

He wore a small smirk then raised an eyebrow and said, "In any case, how are your chest and leg doing?..."

Sakura couldn't believe he had the audacity to ask that. She scoffed and said, "Fine. How's your jaw doing?..."

Naruto turned to him and said, "And your ribs..."

Kakashi kept facing forward and added, "And your left arm..."

Naruto raised an eyebrow then looked at his left arm and sarcastically said, "Oh wait...it's not there..."

Hikan let out a hoarse chuckle and said, "Touché..."

...

After walking for a bit longer, he sensed where Sasuke was then turned towards him and said to Naruto, "You're getting smarter... I assume you made him stay here to protect the village in case I tried anything."

Naruto kept looking forward and said, "Damn right." to which Hikan let out another small chuckle.

...

As the group climbed the monument steps, Hikan let out a small sigh then contemplatively said, "You know, if you look at history, the great shinobi of this world have always been defined...by their enemies..." He turned towards the village, then said, "From Indra and Asura...to Hashirama and Madara..."

After a short pause, he turned to Naruto and said, "I underestimated you Naruto... And I underestimated the effect you've had on this shinobi world... It's a mistake I won't make again."

Naruto let out a small sigh then looked at him with a glint of pity and said, "You've got so much power... Why don't you just use it to do other things? Better things..."

Hikan remained serious and replied, "Because I live in the real world..."

Naruto turned to him and wondered just what could've happened to turn him into the person he was today.

After a short pause, Naruto turned to him and said, "Look, I don't know what happened to you man, but whatever it was, you've gotta let it go... I know that it's easier to just hold onto those negative feelings...but if you do that, you just lose yourself. That darkness you're always talking about, everyone's got some...but we can embrace that darkness and give in to our anger and rage or we can reject it and give into better things like love."

After a short pause, he looked away and said, "I'll admit, it's easier to hate..." then pulled Sakura a little closer and said, "...but it's stronger to love."

Hikan let out an audible sigh then said, "If there's one thing I won't miss in lockup, it's your douchey monologues..."

...

A few moments later, they finally reached the top of the monument. Tashisu arrived with a small team a few minutes later. As Tashisu took Hikan into custody, Hikan turned to Naruto and pensively said, "You know, every villain...is only as great as his hero... And now that I think about it, we've been pushing each other to improve this whole time. You and I, we will both be great shinobi...because of each other... We have a destiny together Naruto...just on opposite sides..."

Naruto wore a serious expression then said, "And I'll always be there to stop you. Always..."

Hikan smirked and said, "_Ohhhhh_, I'm counting on it..."

After he said that, Tashisu stepped towards Tsunade and exchanged words. After a few moments, Tsunade nodded, then Hikan was fully transferred into the Rain's custody.

As Naruto watched the team descend the monument and disappear in the direction of the Rain, he let out a small sigh and said, "It's over...it's finally over..."

As the team disappeared out of sight, everyone watched with a sense of contentment. Everything was finally back to how it should be. Things weren't perfect in the world by any means, but with Hikan out of the picture, it felt like there could be some sense of normalcy once again. No one needed to be on edge anymore.

After a moment of silence between everyone, Naruto turned around with a wide grin and said, "Who wants ramen?!"

Everyone started giggling as he once again tried to pull everyone into his ramen obsession. Naruto looked around and said, "What?..." Tsunade rolled her eyes and said, "Nothing..." She looked around at Kakashi, Sasuke, Sakura and Sai, then said, "They can probably go, but I'm busy, unfortunately."

Naruto looked at her and said, "Come on Baa-chan. Can't whatever it is wait?"

Tsunade raised an eyebrow and said, "How about this? You come help me deal with the paperwork related to Hikan and Amegakure joining the Union. Then we'll all go..."

Naruto let out a sheepish smile and said, "Come on Baa-chan, you know I'm not good at that stuff..." Tsunade smirked and said, "That's what I thought."

Naruto let out a cheesy grin and said, "Fine..." After a short pause, he turned to Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sai then squinted and said, "You all don't have an excuse not to come..." Sasuke shrugged in agreement, then Sai gave a small nod. Kakashi pulled out Ichi Ichi Paradise and said, "I don't see why not."

Naruto turned to Sakura and inquisitively said, "You want ramen right?"

Sakura shook her head a little as she looked at his wide questioning eyes then smiled and said, "Sure. Ramen sounds nice..."

He looked away and said, "Alright!"

As the group started heading down the monument, there was a sense of togetherness. A sense of friendship. And most importantly, a sense that what was wrong had been set right.

END

* * *

**The Moral of the Story.**

The theme of this story can be summed up as forgiveness and letting things go. In this story, every one of the main characters has to learn to let go of the past and look forward so that they can become the best version of themselves.

Sasuke has to let go of what could've been and forgive himself so that he can see what still can be. Near the beginning of the story, he is shown as someone who is struggling with what he wants (To return to Konoha) and _what he thinks he needs_ (Redemption). What he actually needs is to learn to move on from the past and accept the things he can't change. He is finally able to do this midway through the story after meeting the Sage of Six Paths. After this, his character arc is completed and he returns to Konoha determined to make the most of the life he has left. (He becomes the best version of himself).

Sakura has to learn to forgive herself and let go of what she can't change. She has to realize that making a certain decision may result in certain consequences and that those consequences may not be in her power to control. She has to learn from the past and realize that she can't change it. Realizing this and forgiving herself is the only way for her to move forward properly. Her arc is similar to Sasuke's but different in that her offense was against one person. Her character arc is completed at the end of the story when she properly apologizes to Naruto. Before then, she deeply sought Naruto's forgiveness. But by no longer requiring Naruto's forgiveness, she shows that she has forgiven herself and would be able to move on without his forgiveness. This does not mean that her regret goes away. She has simply realized that feeling sorry for herself isn't the answer and has learned to live with the consequences of her actions. When she apologizes to Naruto, she is ready to continue life with things being how they were between them because she's accepted the consequences of her actions. (She becomes the best version of herself). She is, however, overjoyed when Naruto forgives her since she is fully aware that she doesn't deserve it.

Naruto's arc is different in that he has to forgive someone, not himself. While Naruto initially has scuffles with Sasuke, he is able to quickly get past them and act in a brotherly way towards him. Why? Because his real issue isn't with Sasuke. His real issue is with Sakura. In the story, he starts out very angry at Sakura. However, some of his actions show that, at the same time, he wants to forgive her. Due to the pressure of people around him and his own feelings, he very actively tries to forgive Sakura. However, these attempts continue to fail due to the severity of the betrayal. The various things Sakura does for him throughout the story are also not enough to make him forgive her. It is only when she apologizes and he sees her deep regret, that he is able to get past the hurdle and do what he wanted to do for the whole story (Forgive her). He doesn't forgive her because of the things she did for him throughout the story, but rather because he sees her deep regret and the pain she suffered through the whole ordeal. He also forgives her because, after having to make some tough choices of his own (Courtesy of Hikan), he realizes that pressure demands for you to make a choice without having much time to think. In other words, he begins to understand what she went through which helps him see how she must feel. All of the factors I stated above are enhanced by the fact that Sakura nearly dies around the end of the story. It is in this moment that Naruto realizes how valuable she is to him, which also helps him to forgive her. After forgiving her, the joy of having mended things between them and being able to let go of the past helps him become the Naruto we all know and love (i.e. The best version of himself). Both him and Sakura now place a higher level of value on each other and on their friendship. Sakura does this because she lost Naruto's friendship for a few years, and Naruto does this because he realizes how valuable Sakura is to him after almost losing her. Sasuke alludes to this when he quotes Orochimaru. "It's human nature not to realize the true value of something unless they lose it."

Hikan is an absolute in this story. Throughout the story, he does not change at all. He is the only prominent character with no character arc. By the end of the story, there is no change in his character and he retains his fixed ideology. This is most apparent in the finale. He creates a scenario with the Sound and the Hot Water to prove something about the human condition. This plan backfires when the Sound and the Hot Water choose not to destroy each other. However, instead of considering the possibility that he may be wrong about people, he grows irate and says that they'll turn on each other after he breaks their spirits completely. This shows his complete and utter commitment to his ideology. His deep drive to prove that everyone is like him shows that something pushed him to this point, which is why he spends his life trying to push others to this point. As the saying goes, hurt people hurt people. Although it is never revealed what his past was, it is heavily implied, and even stated in his character bio, that his past was the catalyst for him becoming who he is today. For him to become the best version of himself, he would have to deal with his past and find out how to move on from it. Naruto alludes to this during their last conversation. Hikan ignores him and simply makes a snide remark showing that he is set in his ways and unwilling to change (He remains the worst version of himself). He is the only character whose story ends as a tragedy.

The finale of this story shows what happens to those who choose to forgive when something bad happens to them (Naruto) vs. those who choose not to (Hikan). Naruto becomes the best version of himself and restores previous relationships while Hikan remains full of anger and hate with a negative outlook of the world.

* * *

_To my readers:_

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. To everyone who's been reading, thank you SOOOOOOO much for the support and the reviews! I told you guys this story would be completed, and it now is. This story was always intended to focus on Sakura and Naruto being put back on good terms as _friends;_ however, I've also written a story in this universe that explores the romantic relationships between characters (_Naruto: Love in the Time of Ninja_). If you're interested in seeing how things play out between the different characters, be sure to check out that sequel story. If you're not interested, then thanks for sticking with me this far. I don't think this universe I've created is perfect, but I have grown fond of it since it is the universe that contains my very first fanfic.

The chapter after this one isn't a part of the story but rather a chapter that deals with how I came up with Hikan as a character and why he's a good antagonist for Naruto. A guest reviewer named Goose made a relation between Hikan and the Joker (A very good observation). I assume they were talking about the Joker from The Dark Knight. I will address which villains inspired me and how I crafted Hikan as a villain. If you found Hikan compelling, entertaining, irritating, fascinating, or you just hated his guts, I'll dive into why and how he has that effect.

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

Just want to give credit to some of my main sources now that I'm at the end of the story. Main sources of inspiration include, but are not limited to: The Dark Knight Trilogy, Sam Raimi's Spider-man Trilogy, and the popular TV show _Smallville. _Throughout the story, I used various quotes from these sources just for fun and as easter eggs because of how much I respect and admire these series. The discussion of morality between Naruto and Hikan in Ch. 35 is heavily based on the interrogation scene between Batman and Joker in The Dark Knight, and the last scene between Naruto and Hikan in this chapter is heavily based on the final encounter between Clark and Lex in the series finale of Smallville. My story only contains a shadow of the greatness found in the scenes I stated above. People who are familiar with the works stated above will notice the easter eggs more and more now that I've stated where they're from. The easter eggs I littered throughout the story are probably also the reason why my guest reviewer, Goose, was able to figure out that Hikan shares some similarities with the Joker before I mentioned any of my sources (Props to you!). In any case, writing this story has been an amazing experience, and I'm glad I got to share it with so many people! Thanks for reading, and I'll catch you guys later!


	43. Special: Hikan - Character Analysis

**Crafting Hikan**

If you're reading this, a special thank you! This is a special analysis of Hikan's character and I'm very happy that some of you find his character intriguing enough to read it. This analysis will take you through my thoughts as Hikan's creator and help you see why he's a good antagonist for Naruto among other things.

_**The idea**_

The seeds were planted for an original character to enter the universe when I created the alliance between the Rain and the Sound. I knew that Orochimaru would be the leader of the Sound, but the Rain also needed a leader. I wanted to create an antagonist to lead the Rain because I'd always thought it would be fun to create a villain. As a result, I had already watched a lot of videos that talked about how to create a good villain/antagonist. During this story, I revisited those videos frequently.

**Question 1**: Which villains inspired Hikan?

Hikan was not inspired by any villain in particular. I created him from scratch with no particular villain in mind. Let me explain. When creating Hikan, I did some research into how to create a good villain. Mostly through Youtube videos. It became clear that the protagonist (Naruto) and the antagonist (Hikan) need to come into conflict throughout the story. The question is how will they come into conflict. From a storytelling perspective, there are three ways that I considered using to bring Naruto and Hikan into conflict.

1) The protagonist has a goal and the antagonist gets in the way of that goal. For example, Thanos in Avengers Infinity War has a goal. He wants to kill half of the universe's population because he believes that the universe needs correction. He is an unusual protagonist, but he is still a protagonist because the story follows his quest. Avengers Infinity War is not about the Avengers, it's about Thanos. Thanos' actions in Infinity War are based on a comic called Thanos Quest (Which would've been a more accurate title for the movie). In this case, the protagonist has a personal stake while the antagonist doesn't necessarily have one.

2) The antagonist has a goal and the protagonist gets in the way of that goal. Any antagonist that wants something generically evil fits this description. For example, Dr. Eggman wants to take over the world and build his Eggman empire. However, he cannot do that because of Sonic's constant interference. There are many other examples of villains having protagonists in their way. This happens in Avengers Endgame because instead of following Thanos' story, the movie follows the actions of the Avengers. In other words, the Avengers become the protagonists and Thanos becomes the antagonist. In this case, the antagonist has a personal stake while the protagonist doesn't necessarily have one. Because the events of Endgame are so unusual and complex, the Avengers also have a personal stake in this case, so they begin to compete for the same goal. They want to restore and save the universe while Thanos wants to destroy it and rebuild.

3) The protagonist and the antagonist are competing for the same goal. This is the most complex relationship and breeds the most conflict. This is the relationship between the Batman and the Joker in The Dark Knight. Both of them are competing for the soul of Gotham. Batman wants to create a Gotham with Law and Order because he wants to see Gotham rise from its terrible state. Joker wants to create a Gotham with Chaos because he believes that deep down everyone is like him. In this case, both the protagonist and the antagonist have a very personal stake in the conflict.

I decided to go with the third option because I thought it would be the most compelling and interesting. Because of this choice, I asked myself, "What is Naruto's goal?" Of course he wants to become Hokage, but what does he want to do as Hokage? After thinking about it for a while, I noticed that Naruto wants to do something he's already in the process of doing now. He wants to create a world where there is peace and understanding between all shinobi. After targeting Naruto's goal, I was able to give Hikan a goal that competed with Naruto's goal. This is why Hikan wants the exact opposite - Anarchy. And it is precisely this fact that makes him a great antagonist for Naruto. He is the polar thematic opposite of Naruto. While Naruto wants to see a peaceful shinobi world, Hikan wants to see the shinobi world in a state of anarchy. This breeds MAJOR conflict throughout the story.

As I started examining the relationship between the Naruto and Hikan, I noticed that Naruto was turning out to be like Batman and Hikan was turning out to be like the Joker. Upon further examination, I noticed that this actually made sense. Batman wants to see a better Gotham and Naruto wants to see a better shinobi world. Since Naruto and Batman have similar things that they want to do, if the villains are created with the protagonists goal in mind, they will be similar.

**Question 2**: Why is Hikan the right villain for Naruto?

To put it simply, Hikan is a great antagonist for Naruto because he pushes him to become better. Note that although Hikan is not physically stronger than Naruto, he is still a serious threat. In most cases, your villain should have more power than your hero, BUT the key to remember here is that their power doesn't necessarily have to be physical. If you continue to create villains with more and more _physical_ power, you risk becoming Dragon Ball. And if that's what you're going for, that's fine. But if you do this, you risk losing some of the substance in your work (Which is what some fans complained about at the end of Shippuden). It's not a problem to give your villain a great amount of physical power, but you don't have to limit them to only having physical power. Hikan has physical power, but the reason he is able to remain a threat throughout the story isn't because of that physical power. It's because _he_ has_ other types of power_. In other words, his power is not only physical. He has an incredible understanding of the human mind which gives him a very high level of _power on the mental battlefield_. This is why he is able to get into Naruto's head when they first meet, and it is why he is able to throw the shinobi world into a panic. He also has political power. Naruto may be the hero of the war, but Hikan framing Orochimaru then stepping up as the leader of Amegakure gives him a great deal of _political power_. These other types of power force Naruto to deal with Hikan in a way that he's never had to deal with a villain before. For example, Naruto has to try to use his political power to get answers.

Hikan forces Naruto to improve because he's a problem that Naruto can't solve with his fists. Naruto has to figure out how to solve the problem of Hikan by improving other aspects of his character. Throughout the story, he is forced to grow as a character. For example, he is forced to strengthen his mind after Hikan attacks it so that he is ready if Hikan tries to play more mind games. Another example is when, near the end of the story, he makes Sasuke stay in Konoha to protect it from any surprise attacks. He does this because Hikan exposes a major weakness by attacking while Konoha's heavy hitters are absent. In other words, Hikan forces Naruto to become smarter.

**Similarities and differences between Hikan and other villains:**

1) The Joker from the Dark Knight - Hikan very closely shares the Joker's ideology; however, he is more direct in his approach. He directly tells Naruto that they're different sides of the same coin. He does not hide his ideology at all. His relationship with Naruto is also a little different from the Joker's relationship with Batman. By the end of the story, Hikan sees Naruto as an opposite. He still wants to prove him wrong, but his attitude towards him changes. Instead of pure hostility, he views Naruto as his extreme opposite and a worthy adversary. This is why he says that they have been improving each other and that he believes they will push each other to be great in their own way.

2) Smallville's Lex Luthor – Hikan's overall demeanor is similar to Lex's in Smallville. He has shown a twisted sense of humor and does occasionally make sarcastic or biting remarks. He is also similar in that he shows an extremely high planning capacity, which both Lex and Joker also have. However, he is different from Lex and Joker. This is because Lex and Joker both try to hide the fact that they control things from behind the scenes. Lex tries to hide his plans behind pure secrecy and subterfuge. Joker tries to hide the fact that he is a master planner by trying to make you believe he does things at random. Hikan is openly a planner and only hides behind being Amegakure's leader to put a wall between him and those who are trying to take him down (Because he lacks physical power). He is confident in his planning abilities and shows a certain cockiness by not caring if you know he's a planner. At the end of the story, this cockiness is his undoing.

3) Naruto's greatest villains (Pain, Madara, Orochimaru, etc.) – I took a look at some of Naruto's most loved villains and tried to put small hints of them in Hikan. If I asked you which Naruto villain you liked the most, you would probably say one of the three villains I stated above. If you think of why these villains were so good, they all have distinct qualities. They all had a high coolness factor (Especially Madara), they all have clear goals (Especially Pain), and they all show some level of cunning (Especially Orochimaru). I tried to incorporate pieces of these qualities into Hikan's character throughout the story.

**Question 3**: Why is Hikan such an effective villain and why is he entertaining, compelling, fascinating, etc.?

Hikan is able to be all of the things stated above and much more because of one simple fact. That simple fact is that he actually wins. First, he apparently kills Orochimaru. Secondly, he completely outsmarts everyone in Konoha and ends up leaving 50 dead (Permanently). Thirdly, he bombs the Stone killing over 200 people (Permanently). By the time we're at the finale, Hikan has shown that he must be taken seriously. When your villain doesn't do anything significant throughout the story, it's hard for the audience to take him/her seriously. You have to be willing to let your antagonist/villain win sometimes. Hikan wins so often in the story that when you get to the finale, you wonder if he'll win again. By the end of the story, you're thinking, "Maybe the Hot Water or the Sound will turn on each other...or maybe he'll actually succeed in killing Sakura..." And those were very real possibilities. These tense moments are only possible if Hikan is a REAL THREAT.

Please note that the finale wasn't some world-ending event. This is not a requirement to write a finale. When you create a finale where the tension revolves around whether the world will end or not, the audience already knows it's probably not going to end (although it could be an interesting twist if it did lol). Keeping things in a state where the villain or the hero could realistically win creates real suspense. In my story, Hikan could've made the Hot Water or the Sound turn on each other and the world would've kept on spinning. He also could've killed Sakura and the world would've kept on spinning. Hikan's overall ability to seriously threaten the world gives him a certain presence and helps him be a villain that you'll never forget.

**Question 4**: Why is Hikan irritating and annoying among other things, and why do you at some times just hate his guts?

Hikan is at a lot of times unlikable for one major reason. The reason why he has this effect is because he constantly bests the hero we know and love, Naruto. Throughout the story, Hikan is always one step ahead of everybody, especially Naruto. Since we all love Naruto, seeing him outsmarted constantly is annoying. In general, people want to see those that they love succeed in what they're doing. Hikan constantly defeats Naruto throughout the story which makes us hate his guts at times. This is closely related to why some Naruto fans disliked Boruto at first (and some still dislike him now). After watching Naruto and Naruto Shippuden, fans formed an attachment to the characters in those shows, especially Naruto. Boruto disrespects Naruto, which is why some people still don't like him to this day. Hikan takes this to a different level by constantly antagonizing Naruto throughout the story. He causes Naruto emotional pain throughout the story, and as the story progresses, he does it to an even higher degree. However, the fact that Hikan loses at the end and Naruto wins so greatly makes it worth all the trouble it took to get there.

* * *

And that concludes this short analysis! I really enjoyed making it so I hope you all enjoy it as well! Hopefully, it gave you all a look into the method behind Hikan's madness. I really enjoyed creating him as a character and had a lot of fun incorporating him into the story. If you ever plan on doing a story, I hope this helps if you have a villain in mind. I've left his character bio below for reference if anyone is interested.

**Hikan Anaki – Character Bio**

_Character:_

Hikan is an extreme pessimist who borders on nihilism. He views the world in an extremely negative light and lives with no rules. He has no morals and will do whatever he needs to do to accomplish his goals and prove that his ideals are correct. He will lie, harm and kill without a second thought, especially if it furthers his cause. He believes that, at their core, all people are like him and enjoys trying to prove this. He enjoys placing people in situations filled with pressure in attempts to reveal something to them or others, usually something related to their true character. He is strongly opposed to Naruto's positive view of the world and constantly tries to prove him wrong. In his vision of what the shinobi world should be, everyone has realized their true state and the world is in a state of anarchy. Because of how he views the world and people, he believes that real peace can never be achieved.

He is acutely aware that Naruto is more powerful than him and enjoys creating situations where his power is worthless.

He also has an incredible understanding of the human mind, which allows him to manipulate people relatively easily.

His past is unknown, although it is implied that it played a great part in making him who he is today. His clan has its roots in Amegakure; however, it is not known what became of his clan, or if any of them are still alive. He never speaks of his past or his clan. As a result, a lot of people who know him, think of him as someone who's come out of nowhere.

* * *

_Character design:_

Clan - Anaki Clan

Hikan wears combat armor and has never been seen in anything else. His combat armor is usually all or mostly black in color. The symbol on his back is the emblem for the Anaki clan.

* * *

_Inside the author's mind:_

When creating Hikan, I gave him a name that directly points to his ideology. His first name (Hikan) is taken from the Japanese word that translates to pessimism and his last name (Anaki) is taken from the first part of the Japanese word that translates to Anarchist, alluding to his vision of the shinobi world.

Hikan's clan emblem was also designed with his ideology in mind. If you look closely, you will see that it is an upside down house, alluding to his general desire for disorder.

* * *

_Abilities:_

Classification – Sensory Type

Hikan has unusually high chakra reserves. They aren't on the same level as Naruto's, but they are sizable compared to most shinobi.

Hikan's Sharingan has all of the basic abilities of the Sharingan. He has used it to learn many jutsu and continues to do so.

His Rinnegan has all of the basic abilities of a Rinnegan. He has grown accustomed to it and has shown a proficiency for using it in battle.

His high chakra reserves allow him to leave both of his eyes open without him being too exhausted by them. It would save him a sizable amount of chakra if he covered at least one of them, but he prefers not to cover them because he's found that people are intimidated by them, a fact that he fully takes advantage of.

A special ability of his Rinnegan allows him to push his astral form out of his body. He can travel to wherever he wants while his body remains in a sleeplike state. While in his astral form, he can fly and his speed is drastically increased since he has no physical body. If at any point he wishes to return to his body, his return is instantaneous. He can sense when his body is in danger and will immediately return to defend himself. This technique is a severe chakra drain and will result in the temporary loss of his ability to use his Rinnegan.

Hikan can also push other people's astral forms out of their body. Using this ability on an ordinary shinobi will only have a temporary effect. The affected shinobi will return to their body within a few seconds. However, if he uses this technique with all of his might, he could kill someone by pushing them so hard that they are permanently separated from their body, effectively killing them. This technique is not as draining as pushing his own astral form out of his body, but he does lose a significant amount of chakra whenever he uses it.


End file.
